U.S. stocks rise modestly as markets open

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 300 points as market hours began Wednesday morning. The S&P 500 was up 1.1%.

U.S. stock indexes were also up in pre-market trading this morning. The overnight session saw renewed volatility with most indexes undulating between losses and gains, as the coronavirus continues to impact the global economy.

Asian markets on Wednesday generally closed with losses, followed by European indexes, which also closed 1%-2% lower.

The Central Bank of France reported its worst quarterly contraction since the aftermath of WWII.

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday announced positive news for investors and others -- that U.S. virus death tolls are lower than initially thought and that Americans should perhaps expect a turnaround in the numbers after this week.

Oil prices continued climbing, as OPEC+ prepared to meet virtually Thursday to discuss possible production cuts.

China lifted Wuhan out of lockdown on Wednesday. Residents will be allowed to exit the city's borders, provided they pass inspection via a government app to make sure they are not a risk for contagion.

The European Union has discussed implementing use of a similar app to track the progression of the illness. While China's app uses the private information of citizens, like medical records, the European Union's version would focus on respecting the individual privacy rights of people.

Minutes from the March 15 emergency Federal Open Market Committee meeting will be released this afternoon. Investors will gain a better understanding of the Fed’s decision to slash the benchmark interest rate to nearly zero.

Current count has U.S. coronavirus cases hovering at 400,000 and fatalities at 13,000.