Europe Roundup: Stocks fall back

LONDON: Europe's main stock markets fell back yesterday with Slovakia looking increasingly unlikely to approve the boost to the eurozone bailout fund, adding to doubts over a Franco-German plan to fix the region's debt crisis.

London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares sank 0.82 per cent at 5,354.80 points in afternoon trade, Frankfurt's DAX 30 declined 0.66 per cent to 5,808.42 points and in Paris the CAC 40 retreated 0.97 per cent to 3,130.80.

By 1309 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index was down 1.1 per cent at 953.45 points.

Stocks retreated following Monday's heavy rallies on hopes for European political action on resolving the eurozone debt crisis.

"Today, all eyes are on Slovakia (no, really) as the country is the last to vote on the new, expanded European Financial Stability Facility," David Campione at Briefing.com wrote in a note to clients. - Agencies