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.

Generated by Claude on Apr 16, 2026

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.

Exclude COVID

Trade

China Internet ETF (KWEB)

Proxy for China's tech sector accessibility — decoupling shows up as valuation divergence from U.S. tech.

▼ -1.7% YoY

$26.5

Trend YoY growth is -1.7%, slowing by 2.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 37 consecutive periods. Latest: -17.3%, 15.7 pp below trend, a 1.3σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 23.2 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jun '25.

Level

YoY %

y = 16.6% 2.0 pp/yr · t

Deviation from trend

Strategic Buildup

U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA)

Market pricing of defense spending — rising valuations reflect expectations of sustained military buildup across blocs.

▲ +24.5% YoY

$233.8

Trend YoY growth is +24.5%, accelerating by 1.8 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 274 consecutive periods. Latest: +30.4%, 5.9 pp above trend, a 0.51σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 12.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jun '25.

Level

YoY %

y = 8.1% + 1.8 pp/yr · t

Deviation from trend

Emerging Markets ETF (EEM)

Broad EM equity basket — underperformance vs. U.S. signals capital retreating from fragmentation-exposed economies.

▲ +12.4% YoY

$67.9

Trend YoY growth is +12.4%, accelerating by 82 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 232 consecutive periods. Latest: +47.6%, 35.2 pp above trend, a 4.4σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 3.8 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jun '25.

Level

YoY %

y = 5.0% + 82 bps/yr · t

Deviation from trend

Industrial Competition

U.S. Industrials ETF (XLI)

Domestic industrial companies — outperformance signals reshoring and industrial policy tailwinds.

▲ +18.9% YoY

$176.2

Trend YoY growth is +18.9%, accelerating by 1.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 97 consecutive periods. Latest: +25.2%, 6.3 pp above trend, a 0.95σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 1.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jun '25.

Level

YoY %

y = 9.6% + 1.0 pp/yr · t

Deviation from trend

Dollar System

U.S. Dollar Index (DXY)

The world's reserve currency — sustained weakness may signal erosion of dollar hegemony in a multipolar order.

▲ +0.2% YoY

99.54Index

Trend YoY growth is +0.2%, slowing by 0 bps/year over the last 9Y. Latest: +1.6%, 1.4 pp above trend, a 0.47σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from Jun '25.

Level

YoY %

y = 0.2% 0 bps/yr · t

Deviation from trend

Developed Markets ex-US ETF (EFA)

EAFE equity performance — tracks whether capital is concentrating in the U.S. or redistributing across blocs.

▲ +14.4% YoY

$105.0

Trend YoY growth is +14.4%, accelerating by 1.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 179 consecutive periods. Latest: +21.9%, 7.5 pp above trend, a 1.4σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 3.1 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jun '25.

Level

YoY %

y = 5.0% + 1.0 pp/yr · t

Deviation from trend