Wholesale inventories and sales rise in March

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inventories held by wholesalers rose for a third consecutive month in March while sales increased by more than double the expected amount. Rising demand is making businesses more confident about the future, a key development needed to sustain the recovery. Wholesale inventories rose 0.4 percent in March, slightly lower than the 0.5 percent gain that had been expected, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Sales shot up by 2.4 percent, more than double the 1.1 percent increase economists had forecast.