By Anora Mahmudova and Barbara Kollmeyer, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. stock market moved higher on Friday, sending the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average to a fresh intraday record.

Stocks were supported by favorable outcomes in two 'risk events' this week. The Federal Reserve reiterated its commitment to facilitating the U.S. economic recovery by maintaining its view on the timing of interest-rate hikes, and Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

The main benchmarks look set to record solid weekly gains. The S&P 500 (SPX) was 8 points, or 0.3%, higher at 2,018.31, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) gained 52 points, or 0.3%, rising to 17,315.06.

The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) began the session up 15 points, or 0.3%, at 4,608.87.

Leading indicators data are due at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, and Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher, a voting member of the Fed policy committee, is scheduled to discuss his dissenting Fed policy views on Fox Business Network. Both events have the potential to move markets.

Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones, said that, despite new highs, the market is not running ahead of fundamentals, and warned of volatility on options expirations days.

BTIG lifted its S&P 500 forecast on Thursday, raising its year-end price target to 2,075-2,100, from 1,980, becoming the latest brokerage firm to do so.

Stocks to watch: One of the world's biggest IPOs in history will debut within hours in New York. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA) priced Thursday at $68, toward the high end of expectations. That pricing values Alibaba at $168 billion, making it one of the largest U.S.-listed companies, with a larger market capitalization than Amazon. (AMZN)Want to buy into Alibaba IPO? Caveat emptor

Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) may see some movement depending on the final price of Alibaba shares. Yahoo owns a large stake in Alibaba. Opinion: China's favorite sons will score big in Alibaba IPO

Oracle Corp. (ORCL) fell 2.7% on Thursday's news that Chief Executive Officer Larry Ellison is stepping down in favor of Safra Catz and Mark Hurd, who will serve as co-CEOs. Oracle's two CEOS may fuel investor concerns

Shares of Concur Technologies Inc. (CNQR) surged 19% on news Germany-based SAP AG (SAP) will buy the software group in a deal valued at $8.3 billion. The Wall Street Journal said the deal was the largest in SAP's history. U.S.-listed shares of SAP fell 4%.

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) may be in focus after a Chinese court on Friday found its subsidiary in the country guilty of bribing nongovernment personnel, fining the company nearly 300 million pounds ($491.5 million).

Scotland rally: U.S. stock futures saw some benefit from news that Scotland will stay a part of the U.K. The FTSE 100 index rose 0.6%, which if holds, would be the best performance since Sept. 9. Spanish stocks pared earlier gains and were 0.4% higher as strategists said the country's own independence movement has lost strength on the Scottish outcome.

The British pound(GBPUSD) gave up some strength, pulling back to $1.6395 from a high of $1.6526 seen when Scottish votes began to come in. The Nikkei 225 index closed at nearly a seven-year high as the dollar reached a historical high against the yen.

Gold(GCZ4) was sliding toward a third weekly loss, while oil (CLV4) was also on the decline.

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