Dow Jones Hits 50,000 as Bulls Rally; SPX and COMP Edge Higher Fri, Feb 5

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 50,115.67 on Friday, reaching 50,000 for the first time in history, up 1,206.95 points or 2.5%. The milestone followed a volatile week that included a selloff in software stocks and a sharp bitcoin decline, before investors rotated back to blue-chip names like Nvidia (NVDA), Caterpillar (CAT), 3M (MMM), Amgen (AMGN), and Goldman Sachs (GS). The Dow’s biggest percentage gain since May 2025, it marked its fifth record close of 2026. The S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (COMP) ended higher on the day, with gains of 2% and 2.2% respectively, while the tech sector posted a weekly loss of 3% despite strong intraday gains. Strategists note the milestone may reinforce expectations for further gains in U.S. equities, though broader indices provide a more complete view. Wells Fargo Investment Institute raised its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 2.9%.