The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that all three major U.S. stock indexes scored record closing highs on Wednesday as technology shares rallied after upbeat results from Salesforce and as comments by Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell gave a late boost to the market. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that Canada's main index underperformed, ending barely higher as energy stocks fell. The U.S. economy is stronger than it appeared in September when the central bank began cutting interest rates, allowing policy-makers to potentially be a little more cautious in reducing rates further, Mr. Powell said in a speech. Mr. Powell's comments along with a Fed economic activity report added to the upbeat tone in the U.S. market, said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital in New York. The Fed said in a summary of surveys and interviews from across the country known as the Beige Book that U.S. economic activity has expanded slightly in most regions since early October. Mr. Powell "was very upbeat about economy, and he said we're making progress on inflation," Mr. Cardillo said. The S&P/TSX Composite Index ended up 5.45 points at 25,641.18. Oil settled lower at $68.54 (U.S.) a barrel.