Corporations’ after-tax profits edged up 0.5% in...

Corporations’ after-tax profits edged up 0.5% in the first three months of the year, a much smaller increase than in the last quarter of 1987. The Commerce Department said after-tax profits rose to an annual rate of $146.4 billion, following a gain of 2.6% in the previous quarter. Analysts said the slowdown in profits showed that companies were beginning to see some pressures from rising wages and higher costs for component parts.