1.   Higher sales helped U.S. businesses trim stockpiles of unsold goods in March for the first time this year, government figures showed today.

2.   Meanwhile, a Commerce Department report showed that higher sales helped U.S. businesses trim stockpiles of unsold goods in March for the first time this year.

3.   Businesses were trimming stockpiles this year as the economy slowed to a crawl.

4.   But analysts predicted the dazzling gains cannot last, as the Federal Reserve pushes interest rates higher and businesses trim huge stockpiles of goods.

5.   But overall, businesses have been trimming their stockpiles as the economy weakened this year.

6.   But overall, businesses have been trimming their stockpiles of goods on shelves and in warehouses as the economy weakened this year.