THIRD TEAM
 
Rohini Malkani  Citi

Rohini Malkani, who finishes third, “is thorough, well-rounded and objective,” according to one portfolio manager. Clients praise the Citi economist’s monthly “India Macroscope” reports, which cover such themes as inflation and oil prices. In January, Malkani predicted that India’s wholesale price index would jump 8.4 percent year-over-year for December, nearly a full percentage point higher than the 7.48 percent recorded in November. She was right: Days later the Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that the WPI had shot up 8.43 percent in the last month of the year. She also predicted that, in response, the Reserve Bank of India would raise interest rates at its January 25 meeting, with additional hikes to follow. Right again: The RBI raised rates in late January — and again in March, May and June. Malkani is also prized for her “informative and timely updates on official policy meetings,” in the words of one supporter.