* Travel stocks rise 15% to 30%
* Germany, Spain talk easing of travel restrictions
* UK cinema operators and pubs rise
(Adds details, comments and graphic)
LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - European travel and leisure
stocks soared on Tuesday amid reports Spain and Germany would
ease travel restrictions, and no noticeable increase in
infections were reported during the re-opening of businesses
after a two-month lockdown.
Travel and leisure were among the businesses hardest hit by
coronaries lockdown as countries closed borders, leaving
airlines grounded, and strict social-distancing rules closed
restaurants, cinemas and pubs.
But Germany and Spain's plan to ease travel restriction for
the peak summer holiday season revived their stocks. Tri
, British Airways-owner IAG, easyJet
and Whitbread shares jumped 15% to 30%, driving London
stock indices higher.
London stocks were top gainers as they played catch-up with
continental European stocks, which soared on Monday. The travel
and leisure stocks sub-index jumped to its highest levels since
April 30.
"There is a lot more hope that travel restrictions across
Europe will be eased in time for the summer holidays," said Neil
Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com. "If the summer
holiday season can be saved, it would be a big plus after most
of us wrote it off."
European airport operators Fraport, Aeroports de
Paris and Aena were rising 5% to 10%.
The German government wants to end a travel warning for
tourist trips to 31 European countries from June 15 if the
coronavirus situation allows, the dpa new agency reported,
according to the magazine Focus. Spain urged foreign
holiday-makers to return from July.
Pub operator Mitchells & Butlers and Cineworld
shares jumped more than 20% on re-opening hopes after
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said thousands of shops would
re-open next month in easing of coronavirus lockdown.
(Reporting by Thyagaraju Adinarayan, editing by Larry King)