MILAN/FRANKFURT: European stocks fell on Tuesday as worries about coronavirus curbs and Brexit countered optimism generated by strong earnings, including from Swiss bank UBS and consumer giant Reckitt Benckiser. Italy, Spain and Britain imposed curbs to limit the spread of new coronavirus cases that threaten to derail a budding economic recovery. The latest curbs in Ireland will see GDP fall by 3.5% this year, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said.

The pan-region STOXX 600 has recovered about 35% from a pandemic-panic plunge in March, but is struggling to reach pre-crisis levels, plateauing as the second-wave of the disease grips. On Tuesday, the index closed down 0.35%.

Earnings were a bright spot. UBS rose 2.7% as it posted a 99% jump in quarterly profit, while computer peripherals maker Logitech International gained 16% after it raised its full-year forecast.

Robust demand in the United States and China helped cognac maker Remy Cointreau post a broader recovery in second-quarter sales, but its shares slipped 2.4% with some analysts saying it may have been priced in.

Swedish telecoms operator Tele2 fell 4.7% after it stuck to its outlook for roughly unchanged operating profit in 2020. Third-quarter profits for companies on STOXX 600 are expected to drop 36.7%, Refinitiv data shows, improving from a 51% plunge in the previous quarter when economic losses from the pandemic peaked. London's FTSE rose as much as 0.7% before ending flat. Bank of England policymaker Gertjan Vlieghe said the central bank could need to add more stimulus.