Premarket: The long wait for a European solution

Equity investors appeared hesitant as European leaders prepared to meet to discuss ways to resolve the region's sovereign debt crisis.

Britain's FTSE 100, France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX were flat. Japan's Nikkei ended 0.2 per cent higher.

U.S. stock futures appeared firmer, ahead of Thursday's third-quarter GDP data. Dow futures rose 49 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 11,711. S&P 500 futures gained 5.4 points, or 0.4 per cent, rising to 1,230.

The euro reflected nervousness, falling to $1.3916 (U.S.).

European government negotiators and Greek bondholders have been unable to agree on how large a haircut lenders would need to take, according to the Financial Times.

Many uncertainties also remain around complex plans to scale up the region's $600-billion bailout fund, known as the European Financial Stability Facility, without allowing it to draw on the European Central Bank, Reuters reported.

Bloomberg News points out that it is the leaders' 14th crisis summit in 21 months.

Gold gained ground, rising $11.70 to $1,712.10.

U.S. crude rose 0.6 per cent to $93.73 a barrel.

Three-month copper climbed 3 percent to $7,755 a tonne.

The Canadian dollar rose to 98.41 U.S. cents.