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>11%YoY growth in GFCF enabled real GDP to grow 7.6% YoY in Q2FY24, well ahead of the 6.8% consensus. Manufacturing, construction, utilities and mining grew over 10%YoY in Jul-Sep'23. </li>
<li>Services should grow over 8%YoY in H2FY24 (in line with 26-year average). Manufacturing should grow 9%YoY, delivering 8%+ growth in H2FY24. Reform and productivity enable 8% growth in FY25. </li>
<li>The 12mma of the fiscal deficit fell to 5.8% of GDP in Oct'23, and should fall to 5.5% by Mar'24. This will crowd-in private investment, generating virtuous circle of growth.</li>
</ul>


11%YoY growth in GFCF enabled real GDP to grow 7.6% YoY in Q2FY24, well ahead of the 6.8% consensus. Manufacturing, construction, utilities and mining grew over 10%YoY in Jul-Sep'23. 
Services should grow over 8%YoY in H2FY24 (in line with 26-year average). Manufacturing should grow 9%YoY, delivering 8%+ growth in H2FY24. Reform and productivity enable 8% growth in FY25. 
The 12mma of the fiscal deficit fell to 5.8% of GDP in Oct'23, and should fall to 5.5% by Mar'24. This will crowd-in private investment, generating virtuous circle of growth.


India: Real GDP to Sustain 8%+ YoY Growth over the Next 18 Months

<ul>
<li>Merchandise exports grew 11.9%YoY in Feb'24 (+7.5%YoY in Jan-Feb'24) amid a broad-based rebound in engineering, pharma, chemical, electronic exports. With exports outpacing imports, the merchandise deficit declined 8.2%YoY in Apr'23-Feb'24. </li>
<li>Services exports are robust, with many hitherto-imported services also moving onshore. The services trade surplus widened 20%YoY in Apr'23-Jan'24, likely enabling the FY24 CAD to shrink to 0.6% of GDP.</li>
<li>With goods exports set to accelerate, and crude oil prices relatively tame, we expect the current account to swing to a surplus in CY24 (and +0.5% of GDP in FY25). </li>
</ul>


Merchandise exports grew 11.9%YoY in Feb'24 (+7.5%YoY in Jan-Feb'24) amid a broad-based rebound in engineering, pharma, chemical, electronic exports. With exports outpacing imports, the merchandise deficit declined 8.2%YoY in Apr'23-Feb'24. 
Services exports are robust, with many hitherto-imported services also moving onshore. The services trade surplus widened 20%YoY in Apr'23-Jan'24, likely enabling the FY24 CAD to shrink to 0.6% of GDP.
With goods exports set to accelerate, and crude oil prices relatively tame, we expect the current account to swing to a surplus in CY24 (and +0.5% of GDP in FY25). 


India: Merchandise and Services Both Help Toward a CA Surplus in CY24

Head of Research, Steno Research

Emil Moller

Head of Research

Macro and Geopolitical Research House

Steno Research

Steno Research is a new macro and geopolitical research house. We are based out of Copenhagen, Denmark, but have an international team and a strong network of sources and partners around the world. The team is lead by Andreas Steno, previous global head of strategy at Nordea Bank, and Mikkel Rosenvold, former chief consultant in the Danish Ministry of Finance.

<ul><li>The early hikers club comprising e.g. Brazil and Mexico could be a decent steepener trade from here as long as FX vol remains relatively muted</li><li>Receiving rates in Brazil, Poland or India amidst this global bond party makes sense</li><li>As markets have outpaced central banks and vanilla economists in pricing in future rate cuts while eagerly purchasing bonds, the question that arises is how to effectively navigate this transition from a period of rapid buying to an anticipated rate cutting cycle in the emerging markets.</li></ul>

The early hikers club comprising e.g. Brazil and Mexico could be a decent steepener trade from here as long as FX vol remains relatively mutedReceiving rates in Brazil, Poland or India amidst this global bond party makes senseAs markets have outpaced central banks and vanilla economists in pricing in future rate cuts while eagerly purchasing bonds, the question that arises is how to effectively navigate this transition from a period of rapid buying to an anticipated rate cutting cycle in the emerging markets.

EM by EM #33: Early Hikers = Early Steepeners?

Independent Asian Credit Research, Bondcritic

Warut Promboon

Independent Asian Credit Research

Asian Fixed Income/Frontier Market Research

Bondcritic

Bondcritic, established in 2009, is designed to be an independent credit research voice that helps investors gain insights and unbiased analyses on Asian fixed income market. Our mission is to discover deep-value Asian high-yield and distressed bonds with a bottom-up approach, together with the help of our proprietary ESG (Environmental, Social Development, and Governance) model. At the same time, we focus on bringing investment cases of unrated and unloved issuers to the general public.

Debt Capital Markets

iShares MSCI Thailand / Debt Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>Our thesis has not changed even though the Federal Reserve (the Fed) appears to be more hawkish than many investors thought.</li>
<li>We expect countries with lagging rate cycles, such as China and Thailand, to suffer capital outflows and rising yields.</li>
<li>In Asia, the spotlights remain on Indonesia and India where macroeconomic fundamentals continue to improve.</li>
</ul>


Our thesis has not changed even though the Federal Reserve (the Fed) appears to be more hawkish than many investors thought.
We expect countries with lagging rate cycles, such as China and Thailand, to suffer capital outflows and rising yields.
In Asia, the spotlights remain on Indonesia and India where macroeconomic fundamentals continue to improve.


Bond Market Monitor: Prime Time Continues

<ul>
<li>RGDP grew 7.2% in FY2023 driven by 10.4% growth in GFCF and 7.5% growth in PCE. Improved terms of trade will boost net exports, ensuring 7.2% growth in FY2024 too.</li>
<li>Services (over half of GDP) have averaged 8% annual real growth for the past 25 years (8.7% excluding the covid year), underpinning growth. Manufacturing set to gain from relocating supply-chains.</li>
<li>With tax (personal, corporate and GST) revenues growing in double-digits YoY, the fiscal deficit (and PSBR) are undershooting official estimates, helping to crowd-in stronger investment spending. </li>
</ul>


RGDP grew 7.2% in FY2023 driven by 10.4% growth in GFCF and 7.5% growth in PCE. Improved terms of trade will boost net exports, ensuring 7.2% growth in FY2024 too.
Services (over half of GDP) have averaged 8% annual real growth for the past 25 years (8.7% excluding the covid year), underpinning growth. Manufacturing set to gain from relocating supply-chains.
With tax (personal, corporate and GST) revenues growing in double-digits YoY, the fiscal deficit (and PSBR) are undershooting official estimates, helping to crowd-in stronger investment spending. 


India: Net Exports and Investment to Ensure 7%+ RGDP Growth as PSBR Moderates

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India: Real GDP to Sustain 8%+ YoY Growth over the Next 18 Months

India stays world's fastest-growing economy with 7.7%YoY RGDP growth in H1FY24. Exports & GFCF will enable >8%YoY growth in H2. Labour reform to...

Prasenjit K. Basu

India: Merchandise and Services Both Help Toward a CA Surplus in CY24

Goods exports grew 7.5%YoY in Jan-Feb24, leading to a decline in the merchandise deficit. With the services surplus up 20%YoY, a swing to a...

Prasenjit K. Basu

EM by EM #33: Early Hikers = Early Steepeners?

Conclusions up front:– The early hikers club comprising e.g. Brazil and Mexico could be a decent steepener trade from here as long as FX vol...

Steno Research

Bond Market Monitor: Prime Time Continues

Our thesis has not changed but the Fed appears to be more hawkish than expected. We believe inflation will remain sticky but declining consumption...

Bondcritic

India: Net Exports and Investment to Ensure 7%+ RGDP Growth as PSBR Moderates

RGDP grew 7.2%YoY in FY23, led by 10.4% GFCF growth GFCF and 7.5% PCE growth. In FY24, improving terms of trade will boost domestic demand, while a...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

India: Real GDP to Sustain 8%+ YoY Growth over the Next 18 Months

India stays world's fastest-growing economy with 7.7%YoY RGDP growth in H1FY24. Exports & GFCF will enable >8%YoY growth in H2. Labour reform to...

Prasenjit K. Basu

India: Merchandise and Services Both Help Toward a CA Surplus in CY24

​Goods exports grew 7.5%YoY in Jan-Feb24, leading to a decline in the merchandise deficit. With the services surplus up 20%YoY, a swing to a...

Prasenjit K. Basu

EM by EM #33: Early Hikers = Early Steepeners?

Conclusions up front:– The early hikers club comprising e.g. Brazil and Mexico could be a decent steepener trade from here as long as FX vol...

Steno Research

Bond Market Monitor: Prime Time Continues

Our thesis has not changed but the Fed appears to be more hawkish than expected. We believe inflation will remain sticky but declining consumption...

Bondcritic

India: Net Exports and Investment to Ensure 7%+ RGDP Growth as PSBR Moderates

RGDP grew 7.2%YoY in FY23, led by 10.4% GFCF growth GFCF and 7.5% PCE growth. In FY24, improving terms of trade will boost domestic demand, while a...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Goods exports grew 7.5%YoY in Jan-Feb24, leading to a decline in the merchandise deficit. With the services surplus up 20%YoY, a swing to a...