The global commentariat missed so many macro trends in the year gone by that the chances are slim of getting anything right in a year that evokes the very term for clear-eyed vision. To be sure, in 2019, there were many unprecedented developments in Asia on the trade, political and social fronts. The best way forward for getting a handle on 2020 then is to look backward and consider where expectations fell short and extrapolate how these will drive Asian trends this year.