By Mark DeCambre and Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Markets on track to finish week higher; U.S. markets will be closed July 4th

U.S. stocks climbed Friday and the three main indexes were on track to book a fourth straight day of gains as better-than-expected manufacturing data combined with easing fears about the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union fostered confidence.

Read:Which markets are closed for July 4th? (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/which-markets-are-closed-for-us-independence-day-2016-06-30)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 52 points, or 0.3%, to 17,982, with Visa Inc. shares, up nearly 2% to lead the blue-chip gauge. The Dow is hair's breadth from its pre-Brexit level of 18,011.

The S&P 500 index recaptured the psychologically significant 2,100 level, up 0.4% at 2,107. A more than 1% rise in consumer-discretionary shares underpinned the advance in the broad stock-market benchmark.

Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 34 points, or 0.7%, to 4,877.

Trading volume is lighter-than-usual ahead of the July 4th holiday, which will see U.S. markets closed Monday. Lighter volume tends to exaggerate market moves.

Over the past three trading sessions, the Dow (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-futures-nudge-up-as-oil-pulls-back-from-rally-2016-06-30) has risen by about 800 points and the S&P has leapt more than 5% over the last several sessions as markets rebound sharply from concerns about so-called Brexit, or British exit from the EU, which roiled markets last Friday and Monday.

"Markets are coming to the determination that [Brexit] matters but it is not the catastrophic event people had feared," said Jonathan Golub, chief U.S. equity strategist at RBC Capital Markets.

On Friday, markets also were boosted by data that showed that U.S. manufacturers grew in June at the fastest pace in 15 months. The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index jumped to 53.2% in June from 51.3% (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-manufacturers-grow-at-fastest-pace-in-15-monthsism-finds-2016-07-01) in May and that reading from the being read by investors as signaling an uptrend after a bout of extended weakness.

Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Boston Private Wealth, attributed Friday's climb to the strength in manufacturing, investors rebalancing their portfolios to start second half of 2016 and other traders playing catchup in equities following a multiday climb for stocks..

"There's this other group of investors that are late to the party and want to jump o the bandwagon," Pavlik said. He warned that the stock market could lose momentum later in the day as market participants in the U.S. prepare to leave for the extended weekend.

" I do think that it starts to peter out as people move on to get an early start to their vacation," he said.

On Thursday, investors got a boost after Bank of England Gov. Mark Carney hinted at further easing (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bank-of-englands-mark-carney-hints-at-rate-cut-this-summer-2016-07-01), intended to brace the economy after the U.K. voted to leave the European Union.

"Although sentiment has displayed signs of improvement this week...investors should be cautious of this rally as risk aversion remains rife while fears over the global economy linger in the background," Otunuga added.

For the week, the Dow industrials and the S&P 500 are in for a potential gain of 3%. The Nasdaq Composite could book a weekly rise of 2.9%. Each were on track to break a weekly string of losses.

Fed speakers: Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer on CNBC said that he saw the U.S. economy improving.

In London, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester will speak at 11 a.m. Eastern Time, on U.S. economic outlook and monetary policy at the European Economics Financial Centre.

Economic docket:

Spending on construction tumbled in May, with weakness mostly concentrated in the public sector, the Commerce Department said Friday. However, comparatively, construction spending was still better than the same period a year ago (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/construction-spending-declines-08-in-may-2016-07-01).

Automobile maker Ford Motor Co.(F) said that vehicle sales rose 6.4% in June. Sales from General Motors Co. (GM) are expected later.

Corporates:Tesla Motors Inc. shares (TSLA) rose 0.9% even after the electric-car maker confirmed late Thursday that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla's autopilot feature (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tesla-falls-as-feds-investigate-fatal-crash-of-model-s-in-self-driving-mode-2016-06-30). That probe comes after a Model S using the autonomous-driving feature was involved in a deadly crash (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/driver-in-fatal-tesla-crash-previously-had-posted-video-of-autopilot-saving-him-2016-06-30)in Florida.

Stock in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG) slipped 0.7% after the restaurant chain put Mark Crumpacker, chief creative and development officer, on administrative leave (http://www.wsj.com/articles/chipotle-executive-involved-in-new-york-cocaine-bust-1467331439) following his indictment in Manhattan over his alleged involvement in cocaine drug ring.

Apple Inc.(AAPL) is in exploratory talks to buy Tidal (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-is-in-talks-to-acquire-tidal-jay-zs-streaming-music-service-2016-06-30), the music-streaming service founded by rap mogul Jay Z, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Hewlett-Packard Inc.(HPQ) late Thursday won a $3 billion judgment (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/hewlett-packard-wins-3-billion-judgment-from-oracle-2016-06-30)in a court battle against Oracle Corp.(ORCL). Oracle plans to appeal.

Micron Technology Inc. shares (MU) dropped nearly 10% after the memory-chip maker Thursday evening swung to a quarterly loss (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/micron-to-slash-jobs-after-quarterly-loss-2016-06-30)and said it would cut jobs as part of a cost-cutting plan.

Shares of Herc Holdings Inc. will begin trading Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. The equipment-rental business was separated from car-rental provider Hertz Global Holdings Inc. .

Williams Cos. shares (WMB) may be active after nearly half of the energy company's board resigned (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nearly-half-of-williams-cos-directors-resign-in-leadership-battle-2016-06-30) after they failed to oust Chief Executive Alan Armstrong, The Wall Street Journal reported. The leadership battle came after the company's collapsed merger with Energy Transfer Equity LP (ETE), the report said.

(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-gains-more-ground-after-eia-reports-41-million-barrel-fall-in-us-crude-supplies-2016-06-29)Other markets:Asian stocks (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-markets-end-higher-after-boe-signals-more-easing-2016-07-01) closed higher Friday, bolstered after the speech by the BOE's Mark Carney.

Gold futures climbed more than 1% to $1,335.10 an ounce. Oil prices pared their loss to 0.3%. The ICE U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.7% to 95.694.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 01, 2016 12:07 ET (16:07 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.