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Wall Street's main indexes rose on Wednesday on signs of more stimulus to aid small businesses ride out the coronavirus-induced economic slump and a recovery in oil prices.

Oilfield firm Baker Hughes Co on Wednesday reported a $10 billion first-quarter loss and revenue fell more than expected as an 80% plunge in oil prices crushed demand for services and equipment.

A handful of mostly southern U.S. states will begin loosening economic restrictions this week in the midst of a still virulent pandemic, providing a live-fire test of whether America's communities can start to reopen without triggering a surge that may force them to close again.

Brent crude oil sank below $16 a barrel to its lowest since 1999 on Wednesday, before recovering slightly on the prospect of extra pledges to cut output in addition to a pact by major producers to limit supplies.

Plummeting electricity demand and falling power prices during the coronavirus outbreak could leave EDF in need of a capital injection by the end of 2020 to avoid a spiralling debt crisis, a source close to the French firm and analysts said.

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it plans to raise about $1 billion in debt, a day after the streaming pioneer doubled its own projections for new customers as stuck-at-home users binged on original shows.

U.S. stock markets opened higher after a two-day selloff on Wednesday as upbeat quarterly earnings reports lifted sentiment following a record crash in oil prices, although companies warned of more pain in the coming months.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday most, if not all, of the U.S. economy should be reopened by later in the summer after a devastating shutdown to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Delta Air Lines Inc reported on Wednesday its first quarterly loss in eight years as the coronavirus crisis devastates air travel demand, but said its daily cash burn would halve through June as it braces for a recovery that could take two to three years. "We should be prepared for a choppy, sluggish recovery even after the virus is contained," Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in an employee memo on Wednesday.

The European Commission will next month present a set of rules for the safe reopening of air travel when coronavirus pandemic lockdowns end, including social distancing in airports and planes, the EU's transport chief said on Wednesday.

Zoom Video Communications Inc said on Wednesday it was upgrading the encryption features on its video conferencing app to better protect meeting data and offer resistance to tampering. The new version of the app, Zoom 5.0, will release within the week, the company said in a statement.

The U.S. House of Representatives will pass Congress' latest coronavirus aid bill on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, paving the way for nearly $500 billion more in economic relief amid the pandemic.

Wall Street looked set to rebound on Wednesday as upbeat quarterly earnings reports lifted investor sentiment following a two-day selloff due to a record crash in oil prices, although companies warned of more pain in the coming months.

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it plans to raise about $1 billion in debt, a day after the streaming pioneer doubled its own projections for new customers as stuck-at-home users binged on original shows.

A growing body of scientific research linking tyre wear to microplastic pollution, as well as increasing scrutiny from lawmakers in the European Union (EU), has led the $180 billion-a-year tyre industry to fight back.

Nissan will restart production at its Barcelona factory from May 4 and it will begin piloting safety measures at its British plant with the return of around 50 staff this week, the Japanese carmaker said on Wednesday.

Global remittances are set to tumble by $142 billion in 2020, the sharpest fall in recent history, the World Bank estimates, as the coronavirus crisis chokes off a cash lifeline for hard-pressed households in poorer countries.

Oilfield firm Baker Hughes Co reported a $10 billion loss and lower-than-expected revenue in the first quarter on Wednesday as an 80% plunge in oil prices crushed demand for services and equipment.

Brent crude oil rose on Wednesday after slumping below $16 a barrel to its lowest since 1999, supported by voluntary as well as the prospect of forced production cuts to tackle a glut caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Delta Air Lines Inc reported on Wednesday its first quarterly loss in eight years as the coronavirus crisis devastates air travel demand, but said its daily cash burn would slow through June as it braces for a recovery that could take two to three years."We should be prepared for a choppy, sluggish recovery even after the virus is contained," Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in an employee memo on Wednesday.