Retail sales rose one-half of 1% in March, the Commerce Department reported on Thursday, climbing for the third consecutive month as prices continued to increase, and the consumer price index measure of inflation soared in March to a 12-month rate of 8.5% -- the highest inflation rate in 40 years. However, there are signs that inflation is probably peaking. While gasoline continues to fuel the worst round of inflation in decades, price hike..