The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended nearly flat on Friday after hitting a record high in morning action — riding a wave of market optimism and a timely push from the “Oracle of Omaha.”

The Dow on Friday was trying to close at its first record high of the year, as Wall Street has maintained steady optimism despite signs of underlying turbulence in the economy.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time intraday high on Friday, making it the last of the three major U.S. indexes to clinch a record in Wall Street's rally fueled by the prospect of a looser monetary policy,