The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Canada's main index advanced on Wednesday for a third straight day as higher commodity prices boosted the shares of energy and metal mining companies. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says, however, that U.S. stocks mostly edged lower as investors took profits in shares of Nvidia and other chipmakers, while they braced for producer price data on Thursday and further clues on inflation. The S&P/TSX Composite Index ended up 139.09 points at 21,970.11, its highest closing level since April, 2022. It needs only 117 more points to set a new all-time record high close. The energy index rose 1.7 per cent. U.S. oil inventories were lower, driving oil prices higher, said Jennifer Tozser at Tozser Wealth Management. The April crude oil contract rose $2.16 (U.S.) on Wednesday, reaching $79.72 (U.S.) per barrel. In New York, the Dow was up 37.83 points at 39,043.32, while Nasdaq declined 87.87 points at 16,177.77. The Toronto Stock Exchange, without exposure to the major tech companies that have driven the recent extensive, narrow rally, has lagged its U.S. peers. Ms. Tozser warns that higher rates can actually contribute to inflation over time by raising shelter prices.