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 today.
Trade
Monthly goods trade deficit — widening deficits signal import dependence; narrowing may reflect reshoring or trade barriers.
$-57.3B
Trend YoY growth is -4.2%, accelerating by 11 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 12 consecutive periods. Latest: +52.1%, 56.3 pp above trend, a 1.6σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 76.0 pp due to an easy comparison base from Feb '25.
Level
YoY %
y = −6.9% + 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: +7.0%, 2.1 pp above trend, a 0.21σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 83 bps due to an easy comparison base from Jan '25. At current levels, YoY would fall to +4.7% by Jul '26 as comparisons tighten.
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.
$28.7
Trend YoY growth is -1.4%, slowing by 2.1 pp/year over the last 9Y. Latest: -9.6%, 8.1 pp below trend, a 0.60σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 13.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 17.6% − 2.1 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Strategic Buildup
Market pricing of defense spending — rising valuations reflect expectations of sustained military buildup across blocs.
$214.9
Trend YoY growth is +23.5%, accelerating by 1.6 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 246 consecutive periods. Latest: +34.0%, 10.4 pp above trend, a 1.1σ deviation.
Level
YoY %
y = 8.9% + 1.6 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
No data
Broad EM equity basket — underperformance vs. U.S. signals capital retreating from fragmentation-exposed economies.
$64.1
Trend YoY growth is +10.0%, accelerating by 35 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 238 consecutive periods. Latest: +44.8%, 34.8 pp above trend, a 3.8σ deviation.
Level
YoY %
y = 6.9% + 35 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Industrial Competition
Domestic industrial companies — outperformance signals reshoring and industrial policy tailwinds.
$171.0
Trend YoY growth is +18.2%, accelerating by 89 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 72 consecutive periods. Latest: +28.7%, 10.5 pp above trend, a 1.3σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 10.2% + 89 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
New orders for long-lived manufactured goods — leading indicator of industrial investment and reshoring activity.
$318.9B
Trend YoY growth is +5.3%, accelerating by 21 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +0.8%, 4.4 pp below trend, a 0.60σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 5.0 pp due to an tough comparison base from Mar '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +2.3% by May '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.
98.50Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.2%, slowing by 2 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 280 consecutive periods. Latest: -0.7%, 89 bps below trend, a 0.28σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 5.1 pp due to an easy comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.4% − 2 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Foreign central bank appetite for Treasuries — declining share suggests dedollarization or reserve diversification.
$9.2T
Trend YoY growth is +3.0%, slowing by 53 bps/year over the last 24Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 8 consecutive periods. Latest: +5.5%, 2.5 pp above trend, a 0.38σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 13.2 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '24.
Level
YoY %
y = 15.9% − 53 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
EAFE equity performance — tracks whether capital is concentrating in the U.S. or redistributing across blocs.
$100.7
Trend YoY growth is +13.6%, accelerating by 89 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 151 consecutive periods. Latest: +20.9%, 7.3 pp above trend, a 1.2σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 79 bps due to an easy comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 5.6% + 89 bps/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 today.
Trade
Monthly goods trade deficit — widening deficits signal import dependence; narrowing may reflect reshoring or trade barriers.
$-57.3B
Trend YoY growth is -4.2%, accelerating by 11 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 12 consecutive periods. Latest: +52.1%, 56.3 pp above trend, a 1.6σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 76.0 pp due to an easy comparison base from Feb '25.
Level
YoY %
y = −6.9% + 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: +7.0%, 2.1 pp above trend, a 0.21σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 83 bps due to an easy comparison base from Jan '25. At current levels, YoY would fall to +4.7% by Jul '26 as comparisons tighten.
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.
$28.7
Trend YoY growth is -1.4%, slowing by 2.1 pp/year over the last 9Y. Latest: -9.6%, 8.1 pp below trend, a 0.60σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 13.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 17.6% − 2.1 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Strategic Buildup
Market pricing of defense spending — rising valuations reflect expectations of sustained military buildup across blocs.
$214.9
Trend YoY growth is +23.5%, accelerating by 1.6 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 246 consecutive periods. Latest: +34.0%, 10.4 pp above trend, a 1.1σ deviation.
Level
YoY %
y = 8.9% + 1.6 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
No data
Broad EM equity basket — underperformance vs. U.S. signals capital retreating from fragmentation-exposed economies.
$64.1
Trend YoY growth is +10.0%, accelerating by 35 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 238 consecutive periods. Latest: +44.8%, 34.8 pp above trend, a 3.8σ deviation.
Level
YoY %
y = 6.9% + 35 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Industrial Competition
Domestic industrial companies — outperformance signals reshoring and industrial policy tailwinds.
$171.0
Trend YoY growth is +18.2%, accelerating by 89 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 72 consecutive periods. Latest: +28.7%, 10.5 pp above trend, a 1.3σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 10.2% + 89 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
New orders for long-lived manufactured goods — leading indicator of industrial investment and reshoring activity.
$318.9B
Trend YoY growth is +5.3%, accelerating by 21 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +0.8%, 4.4 pp below trend, a 0.60σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 5.0 pp due to an tough comparison base from Mar '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +2.3% by May '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.
98.50Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.2%, slowing by 2 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 280 consecutive periods. Latest: -0.7%, 89 bps below trend, a 0.28σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 5.1 pp due to an easy comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.4% − 2 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Foreign central bank appetite for Treasuries — declining share suggests dedollarization or reserve diversification.
$9.2T
Trend YoY growth is +3.0%, slowing by 53 bps/year over the last 24Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 8 consecutive periods. Latest: +5.5%, 2.5 pp above trend, a 0.38σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 13.2 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '24.
Level
YoY %
y = 15.9% − 53 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
EAFE equity performance — tracks whether capital is concentrating in the U.S. or redistributing across blocs.
$100.7
Trend YoY growth is +13.6%, accelerating by 89 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 151 consecutive periods. Latest: +20.9%, 7.3 pp above trend, a 1.2σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 79 bps due to an easy comparison base from May '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 5.6% + 89 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend