ISTANBUL

US stock exchanges opened lower with losses on Wednesday.

The Dow Jones fell 116 points, or 0.31%, to 37,245 at 9.59 a.m. EDT. The S&P 500 fell 39 points, or 0.8%, to 4,727.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq, meanwhile, plummeted 223 points, or 1.5%, to 14,721.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, jumped 10.5% to 15.29. The 10-year US Treasury yield soared 1.34% to 4.121%.

The dollar index increased 0.28% to 103.65, while the euro shed 0.13% to $1.0860 against the greenback.

Precious metals were in negative territory with gold losing 0.8% to $2,012 per ounce and silver trimming 1.2% to $22.64.

Oil prices were also in the red, with global benchmark Brent crude falling 1.9% to $76.78 per barrel but US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude declining 1.8% to $71.22 a barrel.