NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global stocks were mixed while the dollar edged lower on Wednesday as weak U.S. economic data and a still simmering European debt crisis weighed on sentiment and pushed investors into safe-haven debt. Oil prices firmed as did U.S. stocks briefly after U.S. refinery rates surged to their highest in nearly five years, data from the Energy Information Administration showed. Crude inventories slipped last week less than forecast, while gasoline and distillate stocks fell, offsetting expectations of a build and helping crude oil to trade higher. Markets are expected to remain choppy ahead of a Greek vote on Sunday and on fears that Spain's financing problems may spread to Italy. The question of whether Greece will remain in the euro zone after the election and the potential impact of Europe's woes on global economic growth also weighed on stocks. "The market moved higher after the EIA data but the euro's strengthening against the dollar at nearly the same time may have been more responsible for crude's move higher than the data," said Michael Fitzpatrick, editor of industry newsletter Energy Overview in New York. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 18.54 points, or 0.15 percent, at 12,555.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 1.85 points, or 0.14 percent, at 1,322.33. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 0.19 points, or 0.01 percent, at 2,843.26. In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top regional companies was down 0.5 percent to 984.82. Wall Street initially opened lower as demand for building materials sagged and falling gasoline prices crimped receipts at service stations, dragging retail sales down 0.2 percent, the Commerce Department said. April retail sales were revised to show a 0.2 percent drop instead of the previously reported 0.1 percent gain. Excluding the surge in auto sales, sales fell 0.4 percent, the biggest decline in two years. The U.S. Labor Department said its producer price index dropped 1.0 percent in May as energy costs slumped 4.3 percent. "Headline retail sales were in line with expectations; however, excluding autos the number looks softer than forecast," said Omer Esiner, chief market analyst at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange in Washington. Oil priced rebounded. Brent crude rose 53 cents to $97.67 a barrel. U.S. light sweet crude oil, however, was nearly flat at $83.31 a barrel. U.S. Treasuries prices erased losses and turned higher. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose 7/32 in price to yield 1.64 percent. Yields on 10-year German bonds fell to 1.496 percent. "Many now believe that the point of no return is getting nearer with the peripheral (European) economies in a somewhat irreversible dynamic, with their economies depressed and their access to capital markets shrinking," said Lee McDarby at Investec Corporate Treasury. MSCI's all-country world equity index rebounded, rising 0.3 percent to 302.16. The dollar fell against the yen, while the U.S. dollar index was down 0.5 percent at 82.016, and the euro was up 0.7 percent at $1.2604. (Additional reporting by Richard Hubbard; Reporting by Herbert Lash; Editing by Padraic Cassidy and James Dalgleish)

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