The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that North American stocks advanced on Wednesday as cooler-than-expected U.S. inflation data helped stanch a sharp sell-off, while the escalation of U.S. President Donald Trump's chaotic tariff war kept gains in check. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says the S&P/TSX Composite Index, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were all up, the latter enjoying a muscular boost from tech and tech-adjacent momentum stocks. The Labour Department's Consumer Price Index showed consumer prices cooling more than analysts expected, providing reassurance that inflation is headed in the right direction and keeping hopes for rate cuts this year. In his latest tariff salvo, Mr. Trump imposed 25-per-cent duties on imported steel and aluminum, prompting Canada and Europe to respond in kind. The Toronto Stock Exchange ended up 175.14 points at 24,423.34. The Bank of Canada lowered its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.75 per cent and raised concerns about inflationary pressures and weaker growth stemming from trade uncertainty and Mr. Trump's tariffs. Technology made gains, and the heavily weighted energy sector added 1.7 per cent as U.S. crude prices rallied to $67.68 (U.S.) a barrel.