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* Austria reimposes full lockdown
* Lagarde reaffirms dovish stance
* Hermes soars again index inclusion talk
(Adds comments, updates prices throughout)
By Anisha Sircar and Shreyashi Sanyal
Nov 19 (Reuters) - European stocks ended in the red on
Friday, clocking their first weekly decline in seven weeks on
concerns over the economic damage from fresh COVID-19 lockdowns
in the region that hammered cyclical sectors such as banks and
automakers.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.3% after
hovering near record highs earlier in the session. The index
ended the week 0.1% lower.
It lost ground after news that Austria will become the first
country in western Europe to reimpose a full COVID-19 lockdown
this autumn to tackle a new wave of infections.
Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn said the coronavirus
situation in the country was so grave that a lockdown, including
for people who have been vaccinated, cannot be ruled out.
"Any thoughts that the vaccines would offer a way to a more
normal Christmas period appear to have gone up in smoke for now,
in Europe at least, although there is a nagging fear this could
ripple out across the region," said Michael Hewson, chief market
analyst at CMC Markets.
Frankfurt shares fell 0.4%, while sectors more
exposed to economic cycles such as banks, automakers
and travel & leisure fell between 1.5% and 2.2%.
South European markets, including those in Spain and
Italy, fell about 1.5% each.
European stocks have hit a series of record highs this month
as a stronger-than-expected earnings season helped investors
look past concerns about rising inflationary pressures.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said
inflation in the euro zone will fade so the ECB should not
tighten policy as it could choke off the recovery, and hinted at
continued bond purchases next year.
The ECB is due to decide on the future of its bond-purchase
programmes at its Dec. 16 policy meeting.
Irish airline Ryanair dropped 2.3% after announcing
its intention to delist from the London Stock Exchange,
citing costs related to retaining an additional listing.
French luxury group Hermes gained 5.2%, after
jumping more than 6% in the previous session, on market talks
that it may be added to the Eurostoxx 50 index during a December
review.
(Reporting by Anisha Sircar, Shreyashi Sanyal and Sruthi
Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta,Aditya Soni
and Marguerita Choy)
