European stocks back off 3-week high as travel sector plunges

European stocks fell in morning trading on Friday, to head for the second straight daily loss on profit-taking from a 3-week high, led by sharp losses in the traveling sector, after the UK's decision to impose a quarantine on all visitors arriving from France.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell more than 1.5% as of 11:15 GMT, after it closed lower by 0.6% yesterday the first daily loss in 5 days, after it hit a 3-week high of 375.48 points on the previous day.

The pan European index opened lower, to head for the second straight daily loss on profit-taking, with most of the major European markets and sectors seeing red today.

The travel and leisure sector saw the largest losses in Europe today, dropping over 3%, on growing concerns over a second wave of the coronavirus. 

The UK said it will impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France starting from Saturday, after a spike of infections in Paris, and added Netherlands, Malta and Monaco to the list, which already includes Spain and Belgium.

S&P 500 futures fell 0.5%, after the index closed lower by 0.2% yesterday, on profit-taking from s 6-month high.

Back to Europe, the Euro Stoxx 50 index fell 1.5%, France's CAC 40 fell 1.8%, Germany's DAX dipped 1.1%, and the UK's FTSE 100 fell 1.7%.