GLOBAL MARKETS-Gold rises on Ukraine crisis; US stocks flat

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.16%, the S&P 500 gained 0.09% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.11%. All 11 sectors of the S&P early in the session were higher, with the exception of the energy index, but stocks pared losses after the Fed minutes came out. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe reversed course to post a 0.32% gain, while its emerging markets index rose 1.23%.

NEW YORK: Oil and gold rose on Wednesday after NATO and the United States said Russia was increasing its troop build-up near Ukraine, while a dovish reading of minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting helped stocks close mostly flat on Wall Street.

Stronger-than-expected U.S. retail sales data and higher inflation readings from Canada and Britain added to the outlook for tighter monetary policy worldwide, but geopolitical tensions kept markets for the most part focused on the Ukraine standoff.