All Concepts
Macro Lens

Global Spillover

How are international dynamics feeding back into US monetary conditions?

4
Stages
2
Signals
5
Themes

The Global Spillover lens tracks how international economic and financial dynamics interact with US monetary policy. The US dollar is the world's reserve currency, and Fed policy decisions propagate globally through dollar liquidity, capital flows, and trade channels. Those global effects then feed back into the US through import prices, financial conditions, and capital repatriation. This creates feedback loops that can amplify or dampen the intended effects of domestic monetary policy — particularly when other major central banks are on divergent paths.

Signals Produced

External Pressure

EXTERNAL_PRESSURE

SUPPORTIVENEUTRALHEADWINDCRISIS

Dollar Regime

DOLLAR_REGIME

WEAKENINGSTABLESTRENGTHENINGDISORDERLY

Analysis Stages

1

Dollar Regime Assessment

What is driving the dollar? Rate differentials, risk appetite, or structural flows?

2

Policy Divergence Mapping

How are other major central banks positioned relative to the Fed?

3

Trade & Price Transmission

Is dollar strength/weakness feeding back into US inflation via import prices?

4

Capital Flow & Stability Analysis

Are global capital flows amplifying or dampening US financial conditions?

Required Sources

Must Have

Dollar Index (DXY)

Level, trend, rate-of-change

FRED

Major Central Bank Decisions

ECB, BOJ, PBOC, BOE rate decisions and forward guidance

Central bank websites

FOMC Statement & Minutes

International risk references, dollar discussion

federalreserve.gov

Enhances Analysis

US Trade Data

Trade balance, import/export volumes and prices

Census Bureau, BEA

Import Price Index

Non-petroleum import prices, by origin

BLS.gov

Capital Flow Data (TIC)

Foreign purchases of US Treasuries, equities, corporate bonds

treasury.gov

EM Sovereign Spreads

Stress in key EM economies

FRED, financial news

Oil Prices (WTI/Brent)

Energy price channel from global supply/demand

FRED

Trade-Weighted Dollar (Broad)

More comprehensive than DXY (includes EM currencies)

FRED (TWEXBGSMTH)

Fed Swap Lines

Dollar funding stress proxy (outstanding draws)

federalreserve.gov

When This Lens Applies

Always applicable for US Monetary Policy theme. Global spillovers affect transmission and complicate the Fed's calculus.

Heightened Priority Triggers

  • DXY moves >5% in a quarter
  • Major central bank surprises (unexpected ECB/BOJ/PBOC move)
  • EM crisis or contagion risk (spreads blow out, currency crises)
  • Oil price moves >20% in a month
  • US trade deficit widens sharply or tariff changes enacted

Technical Details

Complexity:4 stages | Hybrid (quantitative international data + qualitative global macro assessment)

Related Macro Lenses

Used In Themes