Portugal 'absolutely' not under pressure, say leaders

EU leaders insisted on Friday that a report that heavy pressure was being applied to Portugal to apply for financial assistance from a eurozone bail-out fund was false.

"It's absolutely, completely false - every reference for an aid plan for this country," said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, speaking to reporters at an OECD conference in Paris.

"It has neither been asked for and neither have we suggested it. It is absolutely false."

Earlier in the morning...