Dow advances 300 points after another report of cooling inflation while investors await bank earnings

U.S. stocks climbed on Thursday, led by technology stocks, as traders parsed another batch of inflation data showing pressures easing in March, while the first reports from what’s expected to be a gloomy first quarter earnings season arrived, with several marquee releases due on Friday.

What’s happening

U.S. stocks fizzled out Wednesday after early gains: the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 38 points, or 0.11%, to 33,647, while the Nasdaq dropped more than 100 points, or almost 0.9%.

What’s driving markets

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