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 hikes for other goods, including electronics and used cars, have started to stabilize.