NEW YORK — Investors kicked off the stock market’s third quarter with a moderate gain after getting some reassuring data on manufacturing and housing.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose by 0.7 percent Wednesday, rebounding from the previous day’s selloff that was triggered by a drop in consumer confidence. Other indexes made moderate advances as well.

Much of Wednesday’s data was positive, including a report showing more stable manufacturing activity in the United States, and another indicating the fourth straight monthly rise in pending home sales.

The buying was tempered by caution ahead of Thursday’s June jobs report.

“That’s going to be the big one,” said Chris Johnson, president of Johnson Research Group. “People are keeping their eye on the unemployment figure.”

The Dow rose 57.06, or 0.7 percent, to 8,504.06. It climbed as high as 8,580.47 in earlier trading, but then pared its gains as the day went on.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 4.01, or 0.4 percent, to 923.33. The Nasdaq composite index rose 10.68, or 0.6 percent, to 1,845.72.

In an upbeat earnings report, General Mills Inc. said its fiscal fourth-quarter profit nearly doubled. Shares rose $2.16, or 3.9 percent, to $58.18.

The biggest gainer among the 30 Dow stocks was Kraft Foods Inc., another food maker. Kraft rose $1.27, or 5 percent, to $26.61.

Analysts say earnings reports coming in the next few weeks will largely determine which way the market heads in the third quarter. Investors are especially eager to hear what companies have to say about business prospects in the second half of the year.

Markets have made a stunning recovery since hitting 12-year lows in early March. All the major indexes rose by double-digit percentage points in the second quarter, while the S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq composite index finished higher for the first six months of 2009.