British News Agency

U.S. stock markets closed the final trading day of the week higher. As investors’ risk appetite increased, the major indices posted positive performances.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average index rose by 294.04 points, gaining 0.58 percent to close at 50,579.70 points.

The S&P 500 index increased by 0.37 percent to 7,473.47 points, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index advanced 0.19 percent to 26,343.97 points.

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks small-cap stocks, also rose 0.91 percent to 2,869.225 points.

Meanwhile, the CBOE Volatility Index, which measures market volatility, fell by 0.36 percent to 16.70.