Globalization fragmenting into rival operating systems
The post-Cold War assumption was that trade integration and technological diffusion would produce convergence under a stable ruleset. The actual path looks roug
Updated 2 days ago.
Trade
Monthly goods trade deficit — widening deficits signal import dependence; narrowing may reflect reshoring or trade barriers.
$-77.6B
Trend YoY growth is -4.5%, accelerating by 11 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: -16.2%, 11.8 pp below trend, a 0.34σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 9.6 pp due to an tough comparison base from May '25. At current levels, YoY would fall to -30.1% by Jul '26 as comparisons tighten.
Level
YoY %
y = −7.1% + 11 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Total quarterly export volume — tracks whether the U.S. is gaining or losing share in a fragmenting trade system.
$3.5T
Trend YoY growth is +4.9%, slowing by 1 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +6.5%, 1.6 pp above trend, a 0.17σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 81 bps due to an easy comparison base from Jan '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 5.2% − 1 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Proxy for China's tech sector accessibility — decoupling shows up as valuation divergence from U.S. tech.
$26.3
Trend YoY growth is -2.1%, slowing by 1.9 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 65 consecutive periods. Latest: -23.2%, 21.1 pp below trend, a 2.0σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 44.1 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 15.3% − 1.9 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Strategic Buildup
Market pricing of defense spending — rising valuations reflect expectations of sustained military buildup across blocs.
$240.1
Trend YoY growth is +25.4%, accelerating by 2.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Latest: +21.7%, 3.6 pp below trend, a 0.32σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 18.7 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 7.1% + 2.0 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
No data
Broad EM equity basket — underperformance vs. U.S. signals capital retreating from fragmentation-exposed economies.
$63.3
Trend YoY growth is +14.4%, accelerating by 1.2 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 258 consecutive periods. Latest: +30.4%, 16.0 pp above trend, a 2.0σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 8.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 3.4% + 1.2 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Industrial Competition
Domestic industrial companies — outperformance signals reshoring and industrial policy tailwinds.
$182.7
Trend YoY growth is +19.6%, accelerating by 1.2 pp/year over the last 9Y. Latest: +19.4%, 24 bps below trend, a 0.05σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 7.0 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 8.9% + 1.2 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
New orders for long-lived manufactured goods — leading indicator of industrial investment and reshoring activity.
$332.2B
Trend YoY growth is +5.4%, accelerating by 21 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: -3.4%, 8.8 pp below trend, a 1.2σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 14.8 pp due to an tough comparison base from May '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +6.4% by Jul '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.0% + 21 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Dollar System
The world's reserve currency — sustained weakness may signal erosion of dollar hegemony in a multipolar order.
101.5Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.4%, accelerating by 3 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 36 consecutive periods. Latest: +3.9%, 3.5 pp above trend, a 1.1σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.0 pp due to an easy comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.1% + 3 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Foreign central bank appetite for Treasuries — declining share suggests dedollarization or reserve diversification.
$9.3T
Trend YoY growth is +3.1%, slowing by 51 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 9 consecutive periods. Latest: +7.6%, 4.5 pp above trend, a 0.68σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 5.0 pp due to an tough comparison base from Oct '24.
Level
YoY %
y = 15.8% − 51 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
EAFE equity performance — tracks whether capital is concentrating in the U.S. or redistributing across blocs.
$103.4
Trend YoY growth is +15.2%, accelerating by 1.2 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 206 consecutive periods. Latest: +17.9%, 2.6 pp above trend, a 0.62σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 5.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 4.1% + 1.2 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Key Insight
Fragmentation is now more visible in strategic-asset prices than in the underlying trade flows, and that inversion is the signal — capital markets are pricing the new bloc architecture faster than goods markets are re-routing through it.
Globalization fragmenting into rival operating systems
The post-Cold War assumption was that trade integration and technological diffusion would produce convergence under a stable ruleset. The actual path looks roug
Updated 2 days ago.
Trade
Monthly goods trade deficit — widening deficits signal import dependence; narrowing may reflect reshoring or trade barriers.
$-77.6B
Trend YoY growth is -4.5%, accelerating by 11 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: -16.2%, 11.8 pp below trend, a 0.34σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 9.6 pp due to an tough comparison base from May '25. At current levels, YoY would fall to -30.1% by Jul '26 as comparisons tighten.
Level
YoY %
y = −7.1% + 11 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Total quarterly export volume — tracks whether the U.S. is gaining or losing share in a fragmenting trade system.
$3.5T
Trend YoY growth is +4.9%, slowing by 1 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +6.5%, 1.6 pp above trend, a 0.17σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 81 bps due to an easy comparison base from Jan '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 5.2% − 1 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Proxy for China's tech sector accessibility — decoupling shows up as valuation divergence from U.S. tech.
$26.3
Trend YoY growth is -2.1%, slowing by 1.9 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 65 consecutive periods. Latest: -23.2%, 21.1 pp below trend, a 2.0σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 44.1 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 15.3% − 1.9 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Strategic Buildup
Market pricing of defense spending — rising valuations reflect expectations of sustained military buildup across blocs.
$240.1
Trend YoY growth is +25.4%, accelerating by 2.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Latest: +21.7%, 3.6 pp below trend, a 0.32σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 18.7 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 7.1% + 2.0 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
No data
Broad EM equity basket — underperformance vs. U.S. signals capital retreating from fragmentation-exposed economies.
$63.3
Trend YoY growth is +14.4%, accelerating by 1.2 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 258 consecutive periods. Latest: +30.4%, 16.0 pp above trend, a 2.0σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 8.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 3.4% + 1.2 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Industrial Competition
Domestic industrial companies — outperformance signals reshoring and industrial policy tailwinds.
$182.7
Trend YoY growth is +19.6%, accelerating by 1.2 pp/year over the last 9Y. Latest: +19.4%, 24 bps below trend, a 0.05σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 7.0 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 8.9% + 1.2 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
New orders for long-lived manufactured goods — leading indicator of industrial investment and reshoring activity.
$332.2B
Trend YoY growth is +5.4%, accelerating by 21 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: -3.4%, 8.8 pp below trend, a 1.2σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 14.8 pp due to an tough comparison base from May '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +6.4% by Jul '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.0% + 21 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Dollar System
The world's reserve currency — sustained weakness may signal erosion of dollar hegemony in a multipolar order.
101.5Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.4%, accelerating by 3 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 36 consecutive periods. Latest: +3.9%, 3.5 pp above trend, a 1.1σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.0 pp due to an easy comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.1% + 3 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Foreign central bank appetite for Treasuries — declining share suggests dedollarization or reserve diversification.
$9.3T
Trend YoY growth is +3.1%, slowing by 51 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 9 consecutive periods. Latest: +7.6%, 4.5 pp above trend, a 0.68σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 5.0 pp due to an tough comparison base from Oct '24.
Level
YoY %
y = 15.8% − 51 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
EAFE equity performance — tracks whether capital is concentrating in the U.S. or redistributing across blocs.
$103.4
Trend YoY growth is +15.2%, accelerating by 1.2 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 206 consecutive periods. Latest: +17.9%, 2.6 pp above trend, a 0.62σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 5.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 4.1% + 1.2 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend