* November manufacturing and housing data beat expectations
* S&P 500 touches fresh high; financial index closes at
record
* Netflix shares advance on overseas growth
* Indexes up: Dow 0.11%, S&P 0.03%, Nasdaq 0.1%
(Updates to market close)
By April Joyner
NEW YORK, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Wall Street's major indexes
inched higher on Tuesday, extending their record-setting rally,
as strong housing and manufacturing data bolstered investors'
confidence in the U.S. economy.
The benchmark S&P 500 .SPX hit a record high for a fourth
straight session, building on its 27% gain this year, which has
been driven by progress toward a U.S.-China trade agreement, a
dovish Federal Reserve and upbeat economic indicators.
U.S. housing starts increased more than expected in
November, and building permits rose that month to the highest
level since May 2007. Data from the Federal Reserve also showed
manufacturing output picked up more than expected in November,
as the end of a strike at General Motors Co GM.N boosted
automobile production. "Most of the data is showing that the global economy is
stabilizing and the U.S. economy is on a solid footing," said
Keith Lerner, chief market strategist at Truist/SunTrust
Advisory Services in Atlanta. "The market has been repricing the
odds of a recession risk lower."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 31.27 points,
or 0.11%, to 28,267.16, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 1.07 points,
or 0.03%, to 3,192.52 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added
9.13 points, or 0.1%, to 8,823.36.
The S&P 500 financial index .SPSY , which tends to be
economically sensitive, rose 0.5% to a record high on the upbeat
data. Among the S&P 500's major sectors, financials added the
most gains to the benchmark index.
Shares of Home Depot Inc HD.N rose 1.0% on the housing
data and were among the biggest boosts to the Dow. Shares of
rival Lowe's Cos Inc LOW.N dipped 0.6%, however, after having
risen earlier in the session.
Netflix Inc NFLX.O shares rose 3.7%, among the biggest
percentage gains on the S&P 500, after the streaming service
provider said late Monday that its overseas growth, particularly
its Asia-Pacific business, was accelerating.
Apple Inc AAPL.O shares touched a record high and ended
with marginal gains, up 0.2%.
After the bell, FedEx Corp FDX.N shares fell about 6%
after the package-delivery company reported quarterly results.
Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a
1.59-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.27-to-1 ratio favored advancers.
The S&P 500 posted 47 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the
Nasdaq Composite recorded 173 new highs and 54 new lows.
Volume on U.S. exchanges was 7.28 billion shares, compared
to the 6.89 billion average for the full session over the last
20 trading days.