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BlackRock’s Stefan Gries: Trump will drive volatility in Europe

Stefan Gries, manager of BlackRock Greater Europe, discusses the US and China, weight-loss drugs and picking stocks in an unloved market
BlackRock’s Stefan Gries: Trump will drive volatility in EuropePublished on December 2, 2024
  • Sentiment on Europe has been weak but could improve next year, says the manager
  • The Chinese economy is at its weakest in 15 years
  • Why Gries remains bullish on Novo Nordisk and ASML

The election of Donald Trump as US president was probably not the news most European equity managers were hoping for on the morning of 6 November. The prospect of a protectionist America creates a further headwind for a market where sentiment has not yet fully recovered since the start of the war in Ukraine. 

Stefan Gries, manager of BlackRock Greater Europe (BRGE), tries to strike a balance between acknowledging the difficulties and downplaying the worst fears. “There's no doubt in my mind, we will see some volatility along the way. There will be some headlines that will scare people,” he concedes. But, he adds, what the actual policies will then look like remains to be seen. 

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