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

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>PM Takaichi's LDP-JIP coalition won 352 of the Diet's 465 seats -- with LDP winning 316 (its biggest-ever victory), a decisive mandate for her ultraconservative reform agenda. </li>
<li>The LDP-Komeito alliance was in the morgue ever since 2024's election; the replacement of Ishiba by 'ultraconservative' Takaichi made an alliance with JIP(Ishin) a natural outcome, with  policy consonance. </li>
<li>Takaichi's personal mandate will enable a stronger military, restored nuclear energy, a more flexible labour market, lower consumption tax on food (hence lower inflation). Decisively bullish for Japan. </li>
</ul>


PM Takaichi's LDP-JIP coalition won 352 of the Diet's 465 seats -- with LDP winning 316 (its biggest-ever victory), a decisive mandate for her ultraconservative reform agenda. 
The LDP-Komeito alliance was in the morgue ever since 2024's election; the replacement of Ishiba by 'ultraconservative' Takaichi made an alliance with JIP(Ishin) a natural outcome, with  policy consonance. 
Takaichi's personal mandate will enable a stronger military, restored nuclear energy, a more flexible labour market, lower consumption tax on food (hence lower inflation). Decisively bullish for Japan. 


Japan: PM Takaichi Wins a Landslide Mandate for Her Ultraconservative Agenda

Market Intelligence, ORTEX

ORTEX Market Intel

Market Intelligence

Global Financial Data and Analytics Platform

ORTEX

ORTEX is a global financial data and analytics platform providing real-time securities lending and short interest data, index rebalance data, holdings and insider transactions, trading signals, corporate actions and news,  stock machine learning and factor scores and other analytics. The majority of the data are downloadable and accessible through APIs.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Short sellers made decisive moves this week ending September 26.</li><li>Energy refining ETF CRAK saw SI hit 36.8% of float - up 38% in seven days.</li><li>Mortgage REIT RWT saw the sharpest build, with SI surging 215% to 22.1% of float as borrow dried up.</li></ul>

Short sellers made decisive moves this week ending September 26.Energy refining ETF CRAK saw SI hit 36.8% of float - up 38% in seven days.Mortgage REIT RWT saw the sharpest build, with SI surging 215% to 22.1% of float as borrow dried up.

Bears Charge Into Energy and Real Estate; Silver Shorts Flee

Podcast on ETFs, Trillions

Trillions

Podcast on ETFs

Money goes where it's treated best. That simple truth is a big reason why more and more money—trillions, in fact—flows into a powerful, low-cost tool that's quietly transformed investing in recent years. Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, let you invest in everything from the stock market to gold like never before. This biweekly podcast will demystify them—and delight you in the process.

<ul><li>Japan, a country big in ETFs, is discussed in the Trillions podcast with guest Jeremy Schwartz from WisdomTree</li><li>DXJ, the WisdomTree Japan Hedged ETF, had a successful run in 2013 but later underperformed, potentially due to currency manipulation and changes in leadership</li><li>Despite past fluctuations, Japan never left and DXJ has outperformed the S&amp;P 500 since 2012, highlighting the potential for growth and investment opportunities in Japan</li></ul>This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

Japan, a country big in ETFs, is discussed in the Trillions podcast with guest Jeremy Schwartz from WisdomTreeDXJ, the WisdomTree Japan Hedged ETF, had a successful run in 2013 but later underperformed, potentially due to currency manipulation and changes in leadershipDespite past fluctuations, Japan never left and DXJ has outperformed the S&amp;P 500 since 2012, highlighting the potential for growth and investment opportunities in JapanThis content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

<ul>
<li>All imports into the US will face a minimum 10% tariff (with a few product exceptions). Countries face differential tariffs depending on their own effective protection against US exports. </li>
<li>China exports to US (54% tariff) suffer a near-crippling blow, with Vietnam (46%), Bangladesh (37%), Indonesia &amp; Taiwan (32%) hammered too. India, Korea, Japan, UK to benefit from trade diversion. </li>
<li>There'll be substantial re-shoring of US manufacturing over 2-10 years, boosting the US economy. Inflation will be a near-term problem, but most countries are likely to mutually negotiate tariffs down. </li>
</ul>


All imports into the US will face a minimum 10% tariff (with a few product exceptions). Countries face differential tariffs depending on their own effective protection against US exports. 
China exports to US (54% tariff) suffer a near-crippling blow, with Vietnam (46%), Bangladesh (37%), Indonesia &amp; Taiwan (32%) hammered too. India, Korea, Japan, UK to benefit from trade diversion. 
There'll be substantial re-shoring of US manufacturing over 2-10 years, boosting the US economy. Inflation will be a near-term problem, but most countries are likely to mutually negotiate tariffs down. 


US Reciprocal Tariff Scheme Is Likely to Boost US Manufacturing in Time; Positive

Podcast Exploring Themes Driving Global Markets, Nomura - The Week Ahead

Nomura – The Week Ahead

Podcast Exploring Themes Driving Global Markets

Nomura - The Week Ahead

We explore the main themes that will drive global markets over the coming week, discussing the key market moving events and risks to keep on your radar.

<ul><li>Central banks in the US, Europe, and Asia have made policy rate announcements, with the Fed in the US easing rates and the ECB expected to continue cutting rates.</li><li>The US economy is expected to see slowing growth momentum in the coming year, with concerns about policy risks from the incoming Trump administration.</li><li>In Asia, Japan is forecasted to experience above potential growth with rate hikes, while China continues to struggle with low inflation and credit growth.</li></ul>This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

Central banks in the US, Europe, and Asia have made policy rate announcements, with the Fed in the US easing rates and the ECB expected to continue cutting rates.The US economy is expected to see slowing growth momentum in the coming year, with concerns about policy risks from the incoming Trump administration.In Asia, Japan is forecasted to experience above potential growth with rate hikes, while China continues to struggle with low inflation and credit growth.This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

Japan

iShares MSCI Japan ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF's objective seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the performance of the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index. The ETF invests in a representative sample of index stocks in a variety of sectors using a market cap weighted "portfolio sampling" technique.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ US)

Japan: PM Takaichi Wins a Landslide Mandate for Her Ultraconservative Agenda

PM Takaichi's coalition's landslide victory in Japan's Diet gives her a strong mandate for ultraconservative reforms, including a stronger...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Bears Charge Into Energy and Real Estate; Silver Shorts Flee

Short sellers made decisive moves this week ending September 26. Energy refining ETF CRAK saw SI hit 36.8% of float - up 38% in seven...

ORTEX Market Intel

Is Japan Back?

CBS Caremark helps members save money, Japan's ETF market is significant but often overlooked, new Japanese Prime Minister Sanai Takeishi is...

Trillions

US Reciprocal Tariff Scheme Is Likely to Boost US Manufacturing in Time; Positive

US imposes 10%-54% 'reciprocal' tariffs, hitting China hard but benefiting UK, Korea, Japan, India. Reshoring of manufacturing to boost US...

Prasenjit K. Basu

The Week Ahead – Happy New Year?

Central banks globally are lowering policy rates, US expected to see exceptional growth in 2024, downside risks from Trump administration policies,...

Nomura – The Week Ahead

Japan: PM Takaichi Wins a Landslide Mandate for Her Ultraconservative Agenda

​PM Takaichi's coalition's landslide victory in Japan's Diet gives her a strong mandate for ultraconservative reforms, including a stronger...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Bears Charge Into Energy and Real Estate; Silver Shorts Flee

Short sellers made decisive moves this week ending September 26. Energy refining ETF CRAK saw SI hit 36.8% of float - up 38% in seven...

ORTEX Market Intel

Is Japan Back?

CBS Caremark helps members save money, Japan's ETF market is significant but often overlooked, new Japanese Prime Minister Sanai Takeishi is...

Trillions

US Reciprocal Tariff Scheme Is Likely to Boost US Manufacturing in Time; Positive

​US imposes 10%-54% 'reciprocal' tariffs, hitting China hard but benefiting UK, Korea, Japan, India. Reshoring of manufacturing to boost US...

Prasenjit K. Basu

The Week Ahead – Happy New Year?

Central banks globally are lowering policy rates, US expected to see exceptional growth in 2024, downside risks from Trump administration policies,...

Nomura – The Week Ahead

PM Takaichi's coalition's landslide victory in Japan's Diet gives her a strong mandate for ultraconservative reforms, including a stronger...

US imposes 10%-54% 'reciprocal' tariffs, hitting China hard but benefiting UK, Korea, Japan, India. Reshoring of manufacturing to boost US...