BNP Paribas has called off a shareholding meeting scheduled for Friday to approve funding for a key part of the €14.5bn deal to acquire the Belgian arm of Fortis, leading to renewed speculation that the proposed tie-up may fall apart.

The deal is in limbo after a surprise ruling last week by the Brussels Court of Appeal to suspend the sale, after shareholders protested against the carve-up of Fortis, in which its business in the Netherlands was nationalised and the Belgian units sold to BNP.