Ticker: Retail sales fall modestly; Judge weighs NYT bid to block Pentagon rule

Retail sales fell 0.2% in January, following a flat reading in December, according to the Commerce Department’s report issued on Friday. January’s figure came in below the forecasts of economists, who were expecting another flat reading, The report was delayed because of the 43-day government shutdown.

The January retail figure was weighed down by a sales decline at motor vehicle and auto parts dealerships. Gas stations also saw a drop in business, reflecting lower gas prices in January, though the intensifying war in the Middle East is driving up prices in recent days. The national average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $3.32 Friday; a week ago, it was $2.98, AAA said

Excluding business at gas stations and auto dealers, retail sales rose 0.3% in January, according to the Commerce Department.

Judge weighs NYT bid to block Pentagon rule

A Pentagon policy limiting journalists’ access to the building is depriving Americans of vital information about U.S. military operations while the country is at war, a New York Times attorney argued Friday in urging a judge to block the new rules.

“It’s more important than ever for the public to know as much as they can,” Times attorney Theodore Boutrous told U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman during the first hearing for the newspaper’s lawsuit against the Defense Department.

Friedman didn’t immediately rule.

Friedman, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Bill Clinton, suggested it is “more important than ever” for Americans to hear “a variety of views” about the activities of the federal government and its elected leaders.

“A lot of things need to be held tightly and secure, but openness and transparency allows members of the public to know what their government is doing,” the judge said.

Justice Department attorney Michael Bruns said the credentialing policy reflects the government’s “compelling interest” and its “statutory obligation” to protect national security information.

“This is not a trivial exercise,” Bruns argued.