From TWSJ - Is Europe's Run Over - by Herbert Rude 5/22/07
"As European stocks markets near their March 2000 records, some equity strategists are saying the rally might soon run out of steam. Several are recommending that global investors no longer favor Europe at the expense of the U.S. market. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. is more skeptical, saying the euro-zone markets should be underweighted because of rising European interest rates and the strong euro.
If Europe were to begin lagging behind the U.S. market, reversing a trend that has lasted for several years, global investors would likely divert funds, which could accentuate the shift. Since bottoming out in March 2003, Europe has been a good place to invest. The pan-European Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index, which tracks Europe's 600 largest companies and is measured in euros, has climbed 140%, while the DJIA has risen about 77%. Europe has been better for U.S investors, who have benefited from the weaker dollar.
The big drivers have been strong corporate earnings and, more recently, a boom in takeovers and speculation about possible deals. There are early signs of head winds. With expansion expectations in Germany and France improving substantially, the European Central Bank may raise interest rates more than economists have been forecasting, lifting the euro. That could dent corporate earnings. We would not be too hasty in shifting away long-term equity allocations back to the U.S.
European stocks have nearly closed the valuation gap with U.S. stock valuations and are approaching fair value. Europe's P/E ratio of 13.5 is the highest it has been since April 2006, before a big correction. Valuations suggest the Stoxx 600 could rise an additional 3% while the U.S. market could rise anbout 6%. European stocks aren't as cheap as they appera based on P/E ratios. The ratio of price to cash flow, now about 22, is nearly as high as at previous market peaks. That figure shows a company's ability to generate and accumulate cash and is considered by some to be less vulnerable to balance-sheet manipulation".
These stocks may lose favor as rates and euro climb. This area is getting very crowded and some money has begun to slowly shift including that which belongs to the Mrs.