Dow Jones Industrial Average Exceeds 50,000 for First Time (1)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average broke above the 50,000 level for the first time, as investors bid up the blue-chip gauge amid optimism over the US economy and corporate earnings.

The 30-member index — comprised of household names like Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Coca-Cola Co. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. — rose 2.5% to 50,115.67 on Friday. The gauge is up 4.3% this year, outperforming all major US equity indexes.

The average, which fell below 40,000 in April when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariff plans, has since rallied 33% on a combination of interest-rate cuts and increasing optimism on ...