The volume of US companies being taken over by their European rivals is now nearing its highest level in four years, according to a financial report.
So far this year businesses in Europe have spent $47.2bn (£27bn) buying up 262 of their American counterparts.
The last time European bosses spent more buying in the US was 2001, when they paid $50bn up to this point.
This week alone, UK bank HSBC and German sportswear group Adidas have both made significant US acquisitions.
Adidas has spent $3.8bn buying US rival Reebok, while HSBC has agreed to buy US credit card company Metris for $1.59bn.
"[European] chief executive confidence levels are up, the markets are stronger, financing costs are lower, and more importantly the market now views cross-border deals positively," said Andrea Orcel, Merrill Lynch's Co-Head of Global Markets and Investment Banking for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
"As a result and given the levels of growth in the domestic markets, companies move abroad," she added.
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