Chief Economist & Political Strategist, CrossASEAN Research

Prasenjit K. Basu

Chief Economist & Political Strategist

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>With core PCE and core CPI both rising more than 4.8%MoM annualised in recent months, and up 4.7%YoY and 5.3%YoY respectively, the pause could only be justified with forward hawkishness.  </li>
<li>ISM manufacturing PMI below 50 for six months, manufacturing new orders below 50 for 9 months, and Services PMI at 50.3 now, suggest that the US is already in recession.</li>
<li>We continue expecting the FedFunds rate to peak at 5.5%, with the Apr-Sep'23 recession and lagged impact of rate hikes enabling core PCE inflation to subside to 3%YoY by end-2023.</li>
</ul>


With core PCE and core CPI both rising more than 4.8%MoM annualised in recent months, and up 4.7%YoY and 5.3%YoY respectively, the pause could only be justified with forward hawkishness.  
ISM manufacturing PMI below 50 for six months, manufacturing new orders below 50 for 9 months, and Services PMI at 50.3 now, suggest that the US is already in recession.
We continue expecting the FedFunds rate to peak at 5.5%, with the Apr-Sep'23 recession and lagged impact of rate hikes enabling core PCE inflation to subside to 3%YoY by end-2023.


FOMC's Hawkish Pause: Recession and a FF Peak of 5.5% to Finally Restrain Core PCE

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

iShares Russell 2000 ETF / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>The S&amp;P 500 broke above 4200 and the 2-month megaphone pattern on Friday, and is already approaching the 4300-4325 area which we have anticipated would cap upside for 2023.</li>
<li>While we would be cautious at these levels given our expectation for inflation to remain elevated, we cannot get too bearish if the S&amp;P 500 is above 4165-4200.</li>
<li>Breadth remains weak within the S&amp;P 500, but we are starting to see breadth improvement within small-cap Russell 2000 (IWM). More on that below, IWM targets include $190 and $200-202.</li>
</ul>


The S&amp;P 500 broke above 4200 and the 2-month megaphone pattern on Friday, and is already approaching the 4300-4325 area which we have anticipated would cap upside for 2023.
While we would be cautious at these levels given our expectation for inflation to remain elevated, we cannot get too bearish if the S&amp;P 500 is above 4165-4200.
Breadth remains weak within the S&amp;P 500, but we are starting to see breadth improvement within small-cap Russell 2000 (IWM). More on that below, IWM targets include $190 and $200-202.


Russell 2000 Breakout Attempt Underway; Small-Cap Breadth Improving; KRE, KBE, XRT Test Key Levels

<ul>
<li>The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings process was initiated in 1987 when US public debt was just 50% of GDP. It is now 123% of GDP. Serious, protracted deficit-reduction negotiations are therefore imperative. </li>
<li>Biden and McCarthy know the chaos that any hint of default will sow. They will take these talks to the brink, but the debt-ceiling will be lifted by mid-June. </li>
<li>Medium-Term spending cuts should bring annual deficits down to 3% of GDP by FY2024 (30Sep'24). Despite near-term messy uncertainty, lower deficits will reduce bond yields and be positive for markets. </li>
</ul>


The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings process was initiated in 1987 when US public debt was just 50% of GDP. It is now 123% of GDP. Serious, protracted deficit-reduction negotiations are therefore imperative. 
Biden and McCarthy know the chaos that any hint of default will sow. They will take these talks to the brink, but the debt-ceiling will be lifted by mid-June. 
Medium-Term spending cuts should bring annual deficits down to 3% of GDP by FY2024 (30Sep'24). Despite near-term messy uncertainty, lower deficits will reduce bond yields and be positive for markets. 


US Default Unlikely, but This Is Just Round1 of Prolonged Debt-Reducing Negotiations

<ul>
<li>We still recommend a tactical overweight to defensives (Staples, Utilities, Healthcare, and gold miners) as the SPX tests our 4165-4200 resistance range, and also resistance from the prior 1.5-month uptrend.</li>
<li>As we await Wednesdays FOMC announcement, the DJIA and Nasdaq Composite are testing 1-year resistances at 34,280 and 12,300, the DXY appears to be inflecting higher, and breadth remains weak.</li>
<li>While we still see a reach to 4300-4325 as possible, we believe playing for more upside is akin to picking up pennies in front of a steamroller.</li>
</ul>


We still recommend a tactical overweight to defensives (Staples, Utilities, Healthcare, and gold miners) as the SPX tests our 4165-4200 resistance range, and also resistance from the prior 1.5-month uptrend.
As we await Wednesdays FOMC announcement, the DJIA and Nasdaq Composite are testing 1-year resistances at 34,280 and 12,300, the DXY appears to be inflecting higher, and breadth remains weak.
While we still see a reach to 4300-4325 as possible, we believe playing for more upside is akin to picking up pennies in front of a steamroller.


S&P 500 Testing 4165-4200, DJIA Testing 34,280, Nasdaq Composite Testing 12,300; Stay Defensive

<ul>
<li>The S&amp;P 500 is approaching the 4165-4200 area; we continue to believe this will cap upside in 2023, but we also acknowledge that a move to 4300-4325 is possible</li>
<li>Considering limited upside in both scenarios, we continue to recommend shifting to defensives, particularly Health Care (XLV), Utilities (RYU, XLU), Consumer Staples (XLP), and precious metals miners (GDX)</li>
<li>10-Year and 30-Year Treasury yields testing short-term resistance while the US dollar (DXY) tests support at $101-101.50.</li>
</ul>


The S&amp;P 500 is approaching the 4165-4200 area; we continue to believe this will cap upside in 2023, but we also acknowledge that a move to 4300-4325 is possible
Considering limited upside in both scenarios, we continue to recommend shifting to defensives, particularly Health Care (XLV), Utilities (RYU, XLU), Consumer Staples (XLP), and precious metals miners (GDX)
10-Year and 30-Year Treasury yields testing short-term resistance while the US dollar (DXY) tests support at $101-101.50.


Favor Defensives as S&P 500 Tests 4165-4200; Buys in Consumer Staples & Europe/UK Telecomm

United States

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 blue-chip stocks that are generally the leaders in their industry. It has been a widely followed indicator of the stock market since October 1, 1928.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

FOMC's Hawkish Pause: Recession and a FF Peak of 5.5% to Finally Restrain Core PCE

We've FOMC critics since Dec'21. ISM manuf'g new orders <50 for 9 months affirm the US is in recession. That, with the FF rate at 5.5% by Sep'23,...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Russell 2000 Breakout Attempt Underway; Small-Cap Breadth Improving; KRE, KBE, XRT Test Key Levels

Breadth remains weak within the $SPX, but we're seeing breadth improve within the small-cap Russell 2000 $IWM. All this points to a breakout above...

Vermilion Research

US Default Unlikely, but This Is Just Round1 of Prolonged Debt-Reducing Negotiations

Like 1995 and 2011, debt-ceiling talks will go to the brink, but result in sustained spending cuts, creating a virtuous circle of faster growth and...

Prasenjit K. Basu

S&P 500 Testing 4165-4200, DJIA Testing 34,280, Nasdaq Composite Testing 12,300; Stay Defensive

$SPX testing our 4165-4200 resistance range, $DJI testing 34,280 1-yr resistance, Nasdaq Comp $COMPQ testing critical 12,300 resistance. All while...

Vermilion Research

Favor Defensives as S&P 500 Tests 4165-4200; Buys in Consumer Staples & Europe/UK Telecomm

The $SPX is approaching the 4165-4200 area; we continue to believe this will cap upside in 2023. Considering limited upside, we continue to favor...

Vermilion Research