Europe's Wager: Cashing in While America Fumbles - By Order of the Peaky Blinders

The Winds of Change: A Shelby Observation

Right so the Yanks are stumbling are they? Like a drunk on Derby Day. Word on the street – and from those fancy lads at Unicredit and Goldman Sachs – is that Europe’s got a bloody good chance to muscle in. Figures don’t lie and they’re saying the Stoxx 600 is outstripping the S&P 500. Since November last year Europe’s up America is down. It seems some people are getting wise to the fact that the best days of America might be over just like when they lost to us back in the war. Smart money’s running scared from the US pouring into Europe. Remember 'everyone's a whore Grace. We just sell different parts of ourselves'. In this case it's their portfolios.

Capital Flight: They're all running like dogs

Bank of America – lot of wankers those blokes says billions are flowing out of US equities and into European stocks. Earlier this year investors pulled billions from US ETFs shoving even more into European ones. Seems they’ve finally clocked that the party’s over across the pond. Anthony Gutman from Goldman Sachs International reckons growth rates are converging driving investors to Europe like moths to a flame. 'Intelligence is a very valuable thing innit my friend? And usually it comes far too f***ing late.' I agree completely.

Private Gains: A Gentleman's Agreement

Even those private equity sharks are circling. Carlyle Group and Permira are whispering about picking up bigger returns in Europe than they can get stateside. They’re sniffing out opportunity like a greyhound after a rabbit. Permira's top dog Kurt Björklund says capital's cheaper here valuations are lower and innovation's booming. He's not wrong. But they forget the most important thing; You listen to me yeah? You pay attention. I will tell you what you need to know. They need to pay attention to who they are messing with.

Trade Winds: The Devil's in the Deals

Now about these trade deals. Trying to nail down a deal with the EU is like herding cats – or appeasing Communists. Joe Kaeser from Siemens Energy says the EU isn't ready to strike these deals yet. Macron is being optimistic about finding a solution but I am doubtful. All eyes are on the potential for an EU U.S. trade deal — which is proving trickier to pin down than with some other countries including the U.K. It seems we are better at this than the Yanks.

Our Own Destiny: We control our own fate

Unicredit CEO Andrea Orcel reckons Europe’s revival is in its own hands. That's the spirit. He believes the EU can pull together especially with things getting frosty with the US. 'Everyone will betray you eventually'. That is why you need to be on top of things yourself. A banking union capital markets union infrastructure spending – all sounds promising. But he warns that investors are fickle. If Europe doesn’t deliver the money will vanish faster than you can say 'By Order of the Peaky Blinders'.

The Shelby Conclusion: Opportunity Knocks

Europe's got a phenomenal opportunity here. We've got every reason to be on par with the Yanks but it’s our fault if we screw it up. So let’s not screw it up eh? We all have to put our heads down and focus on things at hand. 'Whiskey's good proofing water. Tells you who's real and who isn't'.