Also

* Gasoline prices rose for a third straight week, gaining 1.6 cents to $1.112 a gallon in the week ended Monday, the Energy Department said. Pump prices for regular gasoline have climbed 5% since Dec. 17.

* Nordstrom Inc. said sales in December at stores open at least a year fell 2.3%, less than expected. The company also reiterated its previous earnings forecast for the fourth quarter. Some analysts were expecting a decline in same-store sales of as much as 7%.