Daimler shines but Covid-19 restrictions may spoil wider market rally  

Worries over sustainability of  recovery in markets across Europe despite fresh range of measures being announced

European stocks are still down 11% in 2020 after Covid-19 sent the pan-European Stoxx 600 index spiralling down about 40% in March. File photo

A sudden tightening of social restrictions to tackle the resurgent coronavirus pandemic across Europe threatens to spoil any stock market boost third-quarter earnings might bring.

European powerhouses Germany, France, and the UK have announced a fresh range of measures, including curfews and limits on private gatherings, which have fuelled worries about the sustainability of the recovery.