European stocks on Wednesday wrapped up trading with a tepid gain during a up-and-down session, as investors sifted through corporate updates, including better-than-anticipated results from ASML Holding NV.

U.S. stocks rose moderately on Wednesday as gains in financials offset weakness in telecommunications shares but the Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the trend to close at its lowest of 2017. The S&P 500 SPX, +0.18% gained 4 points, or 0.2%, to close at 2,271. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.11% shed 22 points, or 0.1%, to end at 19,804 while the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +0.31% rose 16 points, or 0.3%, to close at 5,555. Major indexes traded within a tight range as sentiment remained subdued ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday.

Investors in Asian stocks broadly maintained caution ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, though Japanese equities rallied Thursday as the dollar strengthened overnight amid comments from Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen that were interpreted hawkishly.