The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Canada's main stock index ended modestly higher Friday, while U.S. markets also closed in positive territory, even as consumer data stoked inflationary fears. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe says the S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 61.87 points at 34,471.36, lifted mostly by the tech sector. Lesley Marks, chief investment officer of equity at Mackenzie Investments, said the Toronto Stock Exchange and loonie brushed off any potential anxiety stemming from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's dalliance with separatism. "People don't believe it's actually going to lead to the separation of Alberta from Canada, so they're not pricing in that expectation into Canadian equities," Ms. Marks said. The Canadian dollar traded for 72.42 U.S. cents Friday. In New York, the Dow was up 294.04 points at 50,579.70, while Nasdaq was up 50.87 points at 26,343.97. Ms. Marks said growth in the U.S. markets is coming from higher artificial-intelligence-driven earnings as well as hopes there would soon be a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. Still, Ms. Marks said investors are starting to get more concerned about higher interest rates amid rising inflationary fears.