The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI)rose 37.83 points, or 0.1%, to 39,043.32. The S&P 500 (.SPX)lost 9.96 points, or 0.19%, at 5,165.31 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC)dropped 87.87 points, or 0.54%, to 16,177.77.

Tuesday's slightly hotter-than-expected consumer price data failed to dampen hopes of rate cuts in the coming months.

Monthly U.S. retail sales data also is due on Thursday.

Among other declining shares, Dollar Tree (DLTR.O)slumped 14.2% after the discount store chain said it would close nearly 1,000 stores and posted a net loss in the previous quarter, hurt by an over-$1 billion goodwill impairment charge.

McDonald's (MCD.N)shares fell 3.9% after its chief financial officer said international sales could fall sequentially in the current quarter.

Volume on U.S. exchanges was 11.12 billion shares, compared with the 12 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by a 1.53-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.07-to-1 ratio favored decliners.

The S&P 500 posted 59 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 89 new highs and 110 new lows.