US stocks close with major losses

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US stock exchanges closed with major losses Wednesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 105 points, or 0.32%, to finish at 33,035 and the S&P 500 dove 60 points, or 1.43%, to 4,186.

The Nasdaq plummeted 318 points, or 2.43%, to end the session at 12,821

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, jumped 6.4% to 20.19. The 10-year US Treasury yield rose 2.5% to 4.961%.

The dollar index increased 0.25% to 106.53 while the euro added 0.05% to $1.0568 against the greenback.

Precious metals were mixed, with gold rising 0.4% to $1,980 an ounce but silver losing 0.2% to $22.87.

Oil prices rose around 1%, with the global benchmark Brent crude at $90.03 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude at $85.29.