S&P 500 ekes small gain | Federal Reserve ready to raise rates soon | Retail sales surge

The S&P 500 edged slightly higher on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve issued the notes from its January meeting.

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE WED, FEB 16, 2022 EVENING BRIEF AS OF WED, FEB 16, 2022 • 04:37 ET DJIA 34934.27 -0.16% -54.57 S&P 500 4475.01 +0.09% +3.94 NASDAQ 14124.09 -0.11% -15.66   Most Active DOW NAME LAST CHG %CHG AAPL 172.55 -0.24 -0.14% MSFT 299.50 -0.35 -0.12% INTC 48.23 -0.21 -0.43% S&P 500 NAME LAST CHG %CHG AMD 117.69 -3.78 -3.11% VIAC 29.58 -6.41 -17.81% NVDA 265.11 +0.16 +0.06% NASDAQ NAME LAST CHG %CHG AMD 117.69 -3.78 -3.11% NVDA 265.11 +0.16 +0.06% AAPL 172.55 -0.24 -0.14%   EDITOR'S NOTE The S&P 500 edged slightly higher on Wednesday, rising in the afternoon after the Federal Reserve issued the minutes from its January meeting.   Central bank officials discussed their plans for raising interest rates and reducing the bond holdings on its balance sheet.   The Fed seemingly struck the right tone with traders, as the indexes wiped a significant portion of their losses for the day.   The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 300 points at its lowest, but the 30-stock index ultimately ended the day with a decline of about 54 points. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite closed 0.11% lower. On the geopolitical front, investors kept an eye on the latest developments coming out of Russia and Ukraine. On Wednesday, NATO officials accused Russia of increasing the number of its troops at the Ukrainian border.   Energy prices have reacted to the news, with oil futures settling 1.7% higher at $93.66 per barrel. The conflict could boost the U.S. oil and gas industry – and historically, Moscow has been the largest provider of oil and natural gas to Europe.   "The last thing they wanted to do was provide a price incentive for a rebound in U.S. oil and gas production," said Dan Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit. "They now succeeded in driving up prices, which is strengthening U.S. oil and gas production." Darla Mercado | CNBC Markets and Investing Editor @Darla_Mercado Watch our live stream for all you need to know to invest smarter. TOP NEWS  S&P 500 closes flat on Wednesday as investors assess the Fed's next move, Russia-Ukraine risk Minutes show Fed ready to raise rates, shrink balance sheet soon Retail sales surge 3.8% in January, much more than expected amid inflation rise NATO says Russia is increasing troop numbers at Ukrainian border, calls for talks Putin's threats against Ukraine could reinvigorate the U.S. oil and gas industry Google plans privacy change similar to Apple's, which wiped $230 billion off Facebook's market cap CDC wants to give people a break from wearing masks as pandemic improves, director says Cramer: 'We're not in a world of the pandemic anymore' and many companies aren't ready Homebuilders' confidence falls as they wait months for cabinets, garage doors and appliances Philippe Laffont's Coatue bets big on Rivian and Pfizer during the fourth quarter   TOP VIDEO The key issue is whether the Fed thinks it needs to take policy into restrictive territory, says PIMCO's Wilding   CNBC PRO These stocks like McDonald's have pricing power to combat inflation, according to Wolfe Research   SPECIAL REPORTS Here's when you can expect higher interest rates on savings 'You're on hold forever.' Social Security applicants complain about agency's long waits   Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy   © 2022 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS