Different worlds.
Similar shapes.
Discover how two measures move together—even across countries, subjects and units.
Loading the shape study…
Strongest shape matches
Ranked by absolute Pearson correlation. Negative scores identify opposite movements.
Sources and reporting context
Aligned observations used in this score
| A period | B period | A input | B input |
|---|
How to read this study
A matching shape is a reporting lead, not evidence of causation. With billions of comparisons, impressive coincidences are expected. These scores are exploratory; they are not significance tests or predictions.
Shape, not size
We calculate Pearson’s r on paired observations. The display converts each input to deviations from its own mean, measured in standard deviations. Units and absolute scale do not influence the score. A positive score near 1 means matching movements; a negative score near −1 means opposite movements.
Two distinct questions
Graph shape uses the observed levels. Movement mode uses first differences between consecutive source periods, then compares their shapes. Differences in percentage rates are percentage points. No percentages of growth are calculated. Shared long-term trends can create a strong level correlation even when the movement score is weak.
Exact overlap and time lags
Each pair needs at least 10 paired observations. We preserve missing values and do not interpolate. Differences never bridge a missing period. Positive lags mean B follows A. Annual, monthly and marketing-year series are separate; a monthly period means one month, while an annual or marketing period means one year.
An exploratory search
The rankings retain the strongest 300 results for each method, lag and scope from the batch scan. Selecting a series searches its full compatible collection. Ordinary p-values would be misleading here because time trends, autocorrelation and searching many pairs affect chance matches. Check source methods, revisions and alternative explanations before reporting a connection.
Study coverage and exclusions
Study 89b44faa1aa5a2265b2a · catalogue release wdi-2026-07-13-65f3182fd0d9+release-b6738a17-0b53-4c6c-895d-b6bbb403fb87 · prepared 2026-10-05.
56,474 annual series · 122 monthly series · 1,092 marketing series
- 686,442 records/series: Fewer than 10 present observations
- 1,953 records/series: Constant series (correlation undefined)
- 809 records/series: Duplicate source series represented in another collection
- 96 records/series: Latest-only trade, reserves and food balances; ownership records have no comparable numeric time history
All public dataset collections are inspected. Single-year snapshots, ownership relationships and series with too few present observations cannot support a shape study. The minimum excludes the short bilateral-trade histories and sparse survey waves. Source duplicates with the same recognized measure and geography are counted once where identity is available; other collections may contain related or duplicated measures. Close matches can therefore reflect shared underlying data.