Stocks around the world ended with marginal gains on Wednesday as investors digested the minutes from the latest FOMC meeting and awaited earnings from Alcoa after the closing bell. The S&P 500 Index continues to hover around its 20 and 50-day moving averages as investors refrain from any significant directional bets given the reporting season ahead. In the midst of this near-term hesitation in the US, global equity markets are excelling, outpacing the returns of American benchmarks.