This paper examines the roles of domestic and international variables in predicting classical business cycle regimes in Germany, France, Italy and the UK. A range of real and financial variables are used as leading indicators in domestic models. Consideration of foreign variables leads to important roles for the French leading indicator, German and US interest rates. The importance of international influences in the business cycles of these European countries is confirmed. Three-months ahead forecasts are given for each country, with those for Germany indicating that this country will follow the US into recession in 2001 or early 2002.