Auto sales edged up in the first 10 days of April.

Incentives to buyers helped domestic car makers post a 2.8% gain in new car sales in early April, compared to a year ago. The Big Three and the four smaller U.S. producers sold cars at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 7.9 million units in the April 1-10 reporting period. GM’s sales rose 4.9% from the depressed levels of a year ago, when the company was still recovering from inventory shortages caused by a strike. Ford’s sales edged up 1%, and the No. 2 auto maker continued to grab several points of market share from GM, holding 26% of the domestic market. Chrysler’s sales fell 4.7%, but its sales were unusually strong a year ago. The No. 3 car maker maintained a healthy 13.4% share of the market this time.