European markets fall as pre-summit meeting cancelled

EUROPEAN markets were down yesterday, with investors jittery ahead of today’s EU summit meeting in Brussels — the second in four days — amid concerns that leaders may struggle to find a solution to the eurozone debt crisis.

The cancellation of yesterday afternoon’s pre-summit meeting of EU finance ministers, due to details not being finalised, dragged most European bourses down after a positive opening to the week.

Yesterday’s falls basically eradicated the modest, but solid starts most markets made to the week in Monday’s trading session.