North American stocks may open mixed Friday as trader digest a fresh batch of economic news and tech-bellwether Dell disclosed that it found evidence of corporate misconduct.

The computer maker found errors in its accounting practices and evidence of misconduct that may lead to a restatement of past results. Dell said it is delaying its year-end financials, the third straight quarter it will miss reporting deadlines of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Canadian economic activity increased 0.1% in January after growing 0.4% in December, Statistics Canada said today.

The energy sector recorded a robust gain as a result of strong natural gas production and a rebound in oil and gas exploration. Construction, forestry and financial services, also posted increases.

Meanwhile, energy prices were the main factor pushing up the prices for manufactured goods and raw materials in February, StatsCan said.

The Canadian dollar opened at US86.71¢, up 0.35 of a cent.

South of the border, U.S. consumers beefed up their spending in February even though inflation accelerated.

Personal income increased at a seasonally adjusted rate of 0.6%, after climbing an unrevised 1% in January, the U.S. Commerce Department said today. Personal consumption, or spending, grew 0.6%, after an unrevised 0.5% rise in January.

In today’s M&A news, Los Angles billionaires Eli Broad and Ron Burkle have made a last-minute offer for media giant Tribune that tops Chicago investor Sam Zell’s US$8 billion offer by US$1 a share, according to several media reports.

TPG Capital kicked off an expected wave of European airline consolidation by making a US$4.5 billion approach for Spanish airline Iberia, which is 10% owned by British Airways.

Crude-oil prices rose 54¢ to US$66.57 a barrel, with tensions between Iran and the West still lingering as the oil exporter continues to hold 15 British naval personnel.

Overseas, the Nikkei 225 inched up 0.1% in Tokyo, while the FTSE 100 declined 0.4% in London.

There also was inflation data out of Europe and Japan, with euro-zone inflation rising to an as-expected 1.9% rate and weaker-than-forecast Japanese inflation.

Toronto stocks moved higher Thursday, as the market reacted to a spike in the price of oil and to a news report that BCE Inc. was the takeover target of a large U.S. private equity firm.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 60.87, or 0.46%, to 13,258.02.

Bell Canada is reported to be the takeover target of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a deal that could value the company at $30 billion. BCE denied the report in the Globe and Mail later in the day.

Shares in BCE gained $1.92, or 6.37%, to $32.04, after hitting an intra-day high of $34.25.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index moved up 11.22, or 0.35%, to 3,181.72.

In New York, markets moved higher, despite the jump in the price of crude, on an encouraging report on the strength of the U.S. economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 48.39 to 12,348.75, the S&P 500 index moved ahead 5.30 to 1,422.53, and the Nasdaq Composite inched ahead 0.78 to 2,417.88.