Global stocks ease after BoE minutes stun markets

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global equity markets eased on Wednesday on a spate of poor corporate results and the release of Bank of England minutes that showed two of the bank's policymakers unexpectedly voted earlier this month for an interest rate hike.

Sterling and UK bond yields rose after the surprise tilt toward higher British rates, while the U.S. dollar advanced to its highest against the euro since last September on the view the Federal Reserve may be turning less dovish.

Minutes from the Fed's last meeting of policymakers in July will be released at 2 p.m. The focus on central bank policy eclipsed any geopolitical developments.

The Fed minutes also come ahead of Fed Chair Janet Yellen's widely anticipated address to the annual gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday.

With U.S. and global stock indices trading close to all-time highs, investors are awaiting a reaffirmation of the accommodative monetary policies that have helped spur a global rally in stocks.

"The next leg up is going to come from what we hear on Friday from Yellen," said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors in New York. "The market has been a little bit on tenterhooks," he said.

MSCI's all-country equity index was down 0.05 percent, while the FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares closed down 0.07 percent at 1,346.02.

A warning from brewer Carlsberg that profits would fall this year due to deteriorating conditions in Russia rattled European investors.

A cut in its full-year sales forecast by Lowe's Companies also unnerved investors, though the world's No. 2 home improvement products retailer also posted better-than-expected second-quarter results.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 28.71 points, or 0.17 percent, at 16,948.30. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 1.89 points, or 0.10 percent, at 1,983.49. The Nasdaq Composite Index