How We Remain Globalized

Contrary to most headlines, our global trade ties remain.

Let’s take a look.

6 Facts About Globalization

According to a 2026 DHL/NYU Stern School report, a slew of metrics displays the role of globalization.

These six facts were among their key takeaways.

1. Trade volume continues to grow:

2. Instead of splitting into separate regional blocs, increasingly distant places have become connected by trade:

3. Because the goods trade among close allies was three times the trade among geopolitical rivals, the report concluded that friendly nations tend to trade with each other:

4. As for the U.S. and China, with each other’s share of exports and imports shrinking, the two are decoupling:

5. And yet, still the U.S. and China remain connected through the intermediate goods that China produces:

6. In a list of the world’s most globally connected countries, Singapore is #1 while the U.S. is #39.

These are the top 10:

Our Bottom Line: Domestic Trade Flows

We have to temper all we just said by showing that most flows are domestic. While globalization is a part of our trade environment, we should not overestimate its presence.

The data demonstrate that domestic flows dominate economic activity:

My sources and more: Thanks to Timothy Taylor’s Conversable Economist for alerting me to the DHL/NYU Stern School globalization report. Then, for additional perspectives that range from David Brooks to PIIE to the Bruegel Think Tank, econlife commented on globalization here, here, and here.