The Fractured Age

How the Return of Geopolitics Will Splinter the Global Economy

By: Neil Shearing

Narrated by: George Weightman

THE LEADING FORECAST ON THE GLOBAL IMPACT OF US TRADE TARIFFS

'An exceptionally sensible, clear-headed and original thinker' The Financial Times
'A very timely book on the new, fractured world'***** The Sunday Times
'The best book on the future of the global economy'***** The International Economy

The tectonic plates of the global order are shifting, creating new pressures that will strain long-standing financial structures.

BUT WHERE WILL THE WORLD'S NEW ECONOMIC FAULT LINES EMERGE?
AND HOW DISRUPTIVE WILL THEY BE?

In a clear and far-reaching reckoning, The Fractured Age lays bare the threats and opportunities that will shape the world economy over the coming decade. It charts the emergence of geopolitical blocs in a world undergoing profound change - blocs whose relative size and economic diversity will be pivotal in reordering everything from goods trade and investment flows to technology transfers and access to critical minerals.

As the world enters another period of seismic upheaval and a new global order emerges, understanding which economies will benefit, and which will bear the costs, will be critical for effective decision-making throughout boardrooms and the halls of government.

As Chief Economist of one of the world's leading providers of independent macroeconomic and market research, Neil Shearing lays out a stark vision of the peaks and rifts that will unfold, and how they will fundamentally reshape the global economy in this fractured age.

As seen on Bloomberg, BBC News, CNN, Channel 4 News and in The Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and The Guardian

©2025 Neil Shearing

Critic reviews

An exceptionally sensible, clear-headed and original thinker.

Neil Shearing has written a very timely book on the new, fractured world we find ourselves in, and how governments, businesses and investors should respond.

The Fractured Age is a masterpiece. The best book on the future of the global economy on the market today.

Neil Shearing is one of the most accomplished macro-economists of his generation. Not only does he have a clear grasp of the issues, threats and opportunities confronting the world economy, buttressed by a mastery of the detail across umpteen countries, but he is also an excellent communicator, both as an author and as a speaker.

The book is definitely for people who operate within the global market, although I am almost sure such person would know a lot of facts and tendencies from the book. Considering freshness of analysis, it is still a good book to see the worldwide history of globalization and understand where we're going. The economic stability will certainly depend on country where we live,
After this book I feel more at ease, seeing how the world was changing for 100 of years, and I'm somehow less worried that the world economy will collapse right away. If it collapses, we will see signs for at least decades

This book is also my first book focused on economy and geopolitics, and I'm now invested to learn more. (Hanna Bexley)

As someone following US politics closely, I found this a sharp, timely take on how global economics is being reshaped by rising geopolitical tensions. Shearing shows how the post-Cold War global order-especially the free-trade assumptions we've taken for granted-is fracturing into rival blocs, with the US, China, and others pulling the strings.

What stood out was how clearly he links policy decisions (like tariffs or tech bans) to bigger shifts in global power. Some parts are a bit dense, but overall it's smart, well-argued, and full of insight-especially on how countries like India and Brazil could shape the next phase of global influence. (Martin Southard)

Clear analysis

Balanced and lucid insight . Good understanding on globalization and its onward journey . Gives food for thought on how the landscape will likely unfold