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>The FOMC claimed at its last meeting that 'inflation remains elevated', although core PCE and core CPI inflation were BOTH at 4-year lows in Apr'25, despite the Trump tariffs. </li>
<li>FOMC minutes show members expressing fears about the prospect of both high inflation and high unemployment, NEITHER of which has yet actually transpired. Politics is clouding the Fed's policymaking ability. </li>
<li>Apr'25 was the first month with the tariffs, yet inflation FELL. M2 growth is just 4.25%YoY (Apr'25), so inflation is likely to stay tame. A Jun'25 rate cut is due. </li>
</ul>


The FOMC claimed at its last meeting that 'inflation remains elevated', although core PCE and core CPI inflation were BOTH at 4-year lows in Apr'25, despite the Trump tariffs. 
FOMC minutes show members expressing fears about the prospect of both high inflation and high unemployment, NEITHER of which has yet actually transpired. Politics is clouding the Fed's policymaking ability. 
Apr'25 was the first month with the tariffs, yet inflation FELL. M2 growth is just 4.25%YoY (Apr'25), so inflation is likely to stay tame. A Jun'25 rate cut is due. 


US: Politics Is Clouding the Ability to Make Rational Monetary Policy

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist, Clifton Derivatives

John Ley

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist

Clifton Derivatives

Independent derivative and volatility research firm focusing on events/catalysts, earnings, relative value and cross asset volatility strategies.

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>HSI traded sideways for a third straight week as macro headlines swirled and tariffs turned internally litigious.</li>
<li>Volatility drifted lower, with 1M implied vol dropping below its 1-year median for the first time in months.</li>
<li>Call volumes were significantly higher led by one strike in particular.</li>
</ul>


HSI traded sideways for a third straight week as macro headlines swirled and tariffs turned internally litigious.
Volatility drifted lower, with 1M implied vol dropping below its 1-year median for the first time in months.
Call volumes were significantly higher led by one strike in particular.


HSI Index Options Weekly (May 26-30): Choppy Tape, One Strike Rules Them All

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

<ul>
<li>A weak 20-year note auction last Wednesday sparked the first semi-meaningful pullback since this lockout rally began April 22nd, when we turned short-term bullish (4/22/25Compass) as SPX was testing 5100-5120.</li>
<li>We will be watching the 10- and 30-year Treasury yields closely, as both are approaching important resistance levels (more on that below).</li>
<li>Unsurprisingly, SPX only tested short-term gap support on the pullback at 5700-5785, where we said to expect support in last week's Compass (5/20/25). Expect this gap support to hold.</li>
</ul>


A weak 20-year note auction last Wednesday sparked the first semi-meaningful pullback since this lockout rally began April 22nd, when we turned short-term bullish (4/22/25Compass) as SPX was testing 5100-5120.
We will be watching the 10- and 30-year Treasury yields closely, as both are approaching important resistance levels (more on that below).
Unsurprisingly, SPX only tested short-term gap support on the pullback at 5700-5785, where we said to expect support in last week's Compass (5/20/25). Expect this gap support to hold.


Upgrading Consumer Discretionary (XLY) To Overweight; 5700-5785 SPX Gap Support Holding as Expected

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

<ul>
<li>
Central Bank Rate Decisions, including from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Bank of Japan, and the Fed.</li>
<li>
Index Rebalancings for the Australian, Indian, Hong Kong, and US benchmark indices. </li>
<li>
Elections: South Korea Presidential Elections on 3 June; potential for the opposition party to win the presidency.</li>
</ul>



Central Bank Rate Decisions, including from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Bank of Japan, and the Fed.

Index Rebalancings for the Australian, Indian, Hong Kong, and US benchmark indices. 

Elections: South Korea Presidential Elections on 3 June; potential for the opposition party to win the presidency.


Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>The WTR Sustainable Index was up 5.9% W/W versus the S&amp;P 500 Index (up 5.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 4.5%), and the Nasdaq Index (up 6.8%).</li><li>Energy Technology (12.6% of the index) was up 10.4%, while Industrial Climate and Ag Technology (47.4% of the index) was up 5.4%, ClimateTech Mining was up 2.9%, and Advanced Transportation Solutions (21.7% of the index) was up 6.9%.</li><li>Top 10 Performers: FL, AEVA, SPI, MVST, ACHR, LIS, SMR, TGEN, CLIR, TPIC</li></ul>

The WTR Sustainable Index was up 5.9% W/W versus the S&amp;P 500 Index (up 5.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 4.5%), and the Nasdaq Index (up 6.8%).Energy Technology (12.6% of the index) was up 10.4%, while Industrial Climate and Ag Technology (47.4% of the index) was up 5.4%, ClimateTech Mining was up 2.9%, and Advanced Transportation Solutions (21.7% of the index) was up 6.9%.Top 10 Performers: FL, AEVA, SPI, MVST, ACHR, LIS, SMR, TGEN, CLIR, TPIC

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on CGBS

United States

The S&P 500® is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities and serves as the foundation for a wide range of investment products. The index includes 500 leading companies and captures approximately 80% coverage of available market capitalization.

S&P 500 INDEX (SPX INDEX)

US: Politics Is Clouding the Ability to Make Rational Monetary Policy

FOMC worries about high inflation AND unemployment. But core inflation was at 4-year low in Apr'25. Politics clouding Fed's policymaking. Tariffs...

Prasenjit K. Basu

HSI Index Options Weekly (May 26-30): Choppy Tape, One Strike Rules Them All

HSI traded sideways amid macro headlines and internal tariff disputes, while volatility decreased and call volumes surged, driven by one specific...

John Ley

Upgrading Consumer Discretionary (XLY) To Overweight; 5700-5785 SPX Gap Support Holding as Expected

Upgrading Consumer Discretionary $XLY to Overweight; 5700-5785 $SPX Gap Support Holding as we expected/discussed last week. 4.7-4.8% on 10y...

Vermilion Research

The Month Ahead: Key Events in June 2025

Central bank rate decisions, index rebalancings, and upcoming South Korea presidential elections are key events to watch for in Asia-Pacific in June.

Gaudenz Schneider

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on CGBS

The WTR Sustainable Index was up 5.9% W/W versus the S&P 500 Index (up 5.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 4.5%), and the Nasdaq Index (up 6.8%).

Water Tower Research

US: Politics Is Clouding the Ability to Make Rational Monetary Policy

​FOMC worries about high inflation AND unemployment. But core inflation was at 4-year low in Apr'25. Politics clouding Fed's policymaking. Tariffs...

Prasenjit K. Basu

HSI Index Options Weekly (May 26-30): Choppy Tape, One Strike Rules Them All

​HSI traded sideways amid macro headlines and internal tariff disputes, while volatility decreased and call volumes surged, driven by one specific...

John Ley

Upgrading Consumer Discretionary (XLY) To Overweight; 5700-5785 SPX Gap Support Holding as Expected

Upgrading Consumer Discretionary $XLY to Overweight; 5700-5785 $SPX Gap Support Holding as we expected/discussed last week. 4.7-4.8% on 10y...

Vermilion Research

The Month Ahead: Key Events in June 2025

​Central bank rate decisions, index rebalancings, and upcoming South Korea presidential elections are key events to watch for in Asia-Pacific in June.

Gaudenz Schneider

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on CGBS

The WTR Sustainable Index was up 5.9% W/W versus the S&P 500 Index (up 5.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 4.5%), and the Nasdaq Index (up 6.8%).

Water Tower Research

FOMC worries about high inflation AND unemployment. But core inflation was at 4-year low in Apr'25. Politics clouding Fed's policymaking. Tariffs...

HSI traded sideways amid macro headlines and internal tariff disputes, while volatility decreased and call volumes surged, driven by one specific...

Central bank rate decisions, index rebalancings, and upcoming South Korea presidential elections are key events to watch for in Asia-Pacific in June.