New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $6.4 billion or 2.6% to $254.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a 3.5% February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders were virtually unchanged. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.8%. Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $6.4 billion or 7.6% to $91.4 billion.

In the week ending April 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 209,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 233,000, the Labor Department reported. This is the lowest level for initial claims since December 6, 1969, when it was 202,000. The four-week moving average was 229,250, a decrease of 2,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 231,500.

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 4.58%, up from 4.47% one week ago, according to Freddie Mac. The average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is 4.02%, up from 3.94%.

Thursday, the Dow increased 238.51 points (0.99%) to 24,322.34, the NASDAQ climbed 114.94 points (1.64%) to 7,118.68, and the S&P 500 gained 27.54 points (1.04%) to finish at 2,666.94. The Russell 2000 was up 7.43 points (0.48%) at 1,557.89, and the Wilshire 5000 closed 275.87 points (1.01%) higher at 27,721.93.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note increased 13/32, bringing its yield down to 2.980%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond climbed 29/32, decreasing its yield to 3.162%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1861, West Virginia seceded from Virginia after Virginia seceded from the Union during the American Civil War. In 1880, Francis Clarke and M.G. Foster patented the electrical hearing aid. In 1897, Grant’s Tomb was dedicated. In 1960, the submarine Tullibee was launched from Groton, Connecticutt. It was the first sub to be equipped with closed-circuit television. In 1965, “Pampers” were patented by R.C. Duncan. In 1983, Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros) broke a 55-year-old major league baseball record when he struck out his 3,509th batter of his career. In 2006, in New York City, construction began on the 1,776-foot One World Trade Center on the site of former World Trade Center.

And now it’s time for FRIDAY FILES!

In Japan, a company is working on a product that it hopes will help protect and reassure women living by themselves. Still in the prototype stage, “Man on the Curtain” uses a smartphone connected to a projector to throw a moving shadow of a man doing various energetic activities onto a curtain. Customers can choose from a dozen different scenarios that show their man boxing, doing karate and even swinging a baseball bat, Reuters reports. To mix things up a bit, the man can calm down and do more mundane things like get dressed, chill out with a guitar or even do some vacuuming around the house or apartment. The system was developed for security at buildings run by Leopalace21 Corp,, said Keiichi Nakamura, manager of the firm’s advertising department.

In Denver, Colorado, a woman who returned from a flight to Paris told KDVR-TV that flight attendants had passed out apples and she placed one in her carry-on to save for her flight from Minneapolis to Denver. Her bag was randomly searched by Customs. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has fined the woman $500 for not declaring she was bringing a free apple into the U.S. Customs declaration forms ask passengers if they are bringing any fruits or vegetables into the country.

In Brownsville, Texas, a man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for stealing $1.2 million worth of fajitas over nine years. According to the Associated Press, the man had been intercepting fajitas that he ordered through the Cameron County juvenile center where he worked and delivering them to his own customers. His scam was uncovered when he missed work for a medical appointment and an 800-pound fajita delivery arrived at the center, which doesn’t serve fajitas. He was fired in August and arrested after authorities checked vendor invoices and obtained a search warrant that uncovered county-funded fajitas in his refrigerator.

In New York City, a postal worker who prosecutors say hoarded away more than 17,000 pieces of undelivered mail allegedly told investigators he was overwhelmed by the amount of mail he had to deliver. But, he also told them he “made sure to deliver the important mail.” According to the Associated Press, federal officials say they arrested the 16-year employee after receiving a tip about a car he owned that contained 20 full mail bags. Authorities say they found 10,000 pieces of mail in his car, 6,000 pieces in his apartment and 1,000 in his work locker.

In Georgetown, Massachusetts, a mother says her daughter appeared sad one day when she came home from pre-school. The little girl told her mother she was upset because her teacher told her she couldn’t call one of her classmates her “best friend.” In a letter to the family, school officials said it had been their experience that the use of the term “best friend,” even when used in a loving way, can lead some children feeling excluded. The family is looking for a new pre-school for their daughter.

Have a great weekend!