Retail sales rose in March for the first time since November as consumers stepped up purchases of automobiles and other goods, suggesting a sharp slowdown in economic growth in the first quarter was temporary. The Commerce Department’s fairly sturdy report on Tuesday together with other data showing that producer inflation crept up last month should keep the Federal Reserve on track to start raising interest rates later this year. “A rebound in retail sales in March provides evidence that the U.S. economy is pulling out of a soft patch seen at the start of the year.