Stock market leadership has passed from the U.S. to Europe, according to Jeff Kleintop, chief global investment strategist at Charles Schwab & Co.
Year-to-date through Tuesday, the MSCI euro index gained 17.5% on a total return basis in the U.S, in dollar terms, versus 13.6% for the S&P 500, Kleintop said on a recent Schwab market outlook webinar.
The gap is even greater since November, when news broke that there would soon be a COVID-19 vaccine ready for distribution: a 47% gain for the MSCI Euro index vs. 30% for the S&P 500, even though Europe has lagged the U.S. on the distribution of coronavirus vaccines but is catching up.
Europe is also catching up on economic growth as restrictive lockdowns end, the European Central bank ramps up bond buying and the European Commission begins to roll out its largest-ever stimulus plan, equivalent to $910 billion.
"The peak in eurozone economic momentum may not come until later this year," said Kleintop, adding that U.S. growth is peaking now and China's peaked late last year.
