Wall Street pares losses late, ends modestly lower

NEW YORK: Stocks fell on Thursday but pared back sharp losses late in the session on talk of progress by European leaders in easing the region's debt crisis, while a Supreme Court ruling upholding a landmark healthcare law hit large health insurers.

Markets are especially skittish about any shift in expectations for the euro zone as European Union leaders met on the first day of a two-day summit in Brussels.