The Dow jumps more than 2 percent at opening

Traders working at the New York Stock Exchange — (Image credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than 400 points, or 2.6 percent, at Wednesday's opening bell. But after Tuesday's rollercoaster day, in which a spike of more than 400 points evaporated and the U.S. stock market closed down 200 points, investors are waiting to see if Wednesday's promising start will stick.

Markets in Europe were slightly higher Wednesday, but in China, stocks continued their free fall, closing down 1.3 percent. As evidenced by Tuesday's series of ups and downs, The New York Times reports that "volatility continue[s] to dominate global markets" as the world's economies look to rebound from a six-day slump.