Asian Economist

Kok Peng Chan

Kok Peng has over three decades of experience covering the global economy and financial markets. He spent the bulk of his career in top global investment banks where he covered the Asian economies and stockmarkets. During this period, he travelled extensively to meet clients that cut across business lines. They include fund managers, hedge fund managers, private banking clients, corporates, and fixed income investors in the US, Europe, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. He is well liked by clients because of his commitment to a consistent framework and the ability to explain economic and financial developments with actionable investment recommendations. As a result he was ranked among top 3 economists in many surveys and polls conducted by financial magazines.

Geopolitics: Don’t Fall for the BRICS Hype

From Tariff Tantrum to Treasury Turbulence

Assessing Trump’s Shock and Awe Move in Apr 2025

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>Despite headlines about BRICS alternatives, gold hoarding, and China's reduced U.S. Treasury holdings, the data shows no structural shift away from the dollar.</li>
<li>A 10% decline in the DXY under six months is not an uncommon  occurence from a longer term perspective.  </li>
<li>The dollar’s weakness is driven by a historically overvalued real effective exchange rate (REER)  and falling oil prices, not a structural decline.</li>
</ul>


Despite headlines about BRICS alternatives, gold hoarding, and China's reduced U.S. Treasury holdings, the data shows no structural shift away from the dollar.
A 10% decline in the DXY under six months is not an uncommon  occurence from a longer term perspective.  
The dollar’s weakness is driven by a historically overvalued real effective exchange rate (REER)  and falling oil prices, not a structural decline.


De-Dollarisation Debate : Unmasking USD Over-Valuation