US STOCKS-Wall Street extends record-setting climb on upbeat economic data

© Reuters. US STOCKS-Wall Street extends record-setting climb on upbeat economic data

* 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.