Dow index closes above 50,000 for 1st time as U.S. stocks rally

The Dow surged above 50,000 points for the first time Friday, shrugging off worries surrounding artificial intelligence while focusing on hopes for US growth and additional interest rate cuts.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average led the major indices, piling on more than 1,200 points to finish at 50,115.67, up 2.5 percent.

The broad-based S&P 500 gained 2.0 percent to 6,932.30, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 2.2 percent to 23,031.21.