NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 50,000 points for the first time on Friday as sentiment improved and investors bought after corrections in previous sessions.

Dow gained more than 1,100 points in the afternoon session with heavyweight Nvidia surging over 7 percent.

The U.S. Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 57.3 in February, up from the final reading of 56.4 in January, according to a preliminary reading released Friday by the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.

Dow's 50-day moving average at 48,607 is holding as support, which keeps the bullish case intact, said James Hyerczyk, a U.S.-based technical analyst. ■