Stocks closed little changed on Wednesday, with investors reluctant to make big bets ahead of a much-anticipated meeting of the European Central Bank, which could announce new policies to help contain the euro zone's debt crisis.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 11.54 points, or 0.09 percent, at 13,047.48. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 1.50 points, or 0.11 percent, at 1,403.44. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 7.27 points, or 0.24 percent, at 3,067.79.

(Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Dan Grebler)