In the week ending August 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 266,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 267,000, the Labor Department reported. The four-week moving average was 262,750, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 259,750.

Thursday, the Dow climbed 117.86 points (0.64%) to 18,613.52, the NASDAQ closed 23.81 points (0.46%) higher at 5,228.40, and the S&P 500 increased 10.30 points (0.47%) to 2,185.79. The Russell 2000 was up 5.84 points (0.48%) at 1,229.11, and the Wilshire 5000 gained 103.79 points (0.46%) to finish at 22.670.50.

On the NYSE, 3 billion shares changed hands, and on the NASDAQ, 2.7 billion shares traded, with 1.7 advancing issues for every declining issue on both exchanges.

ON THIS DATE: In 1851, Isaac Singer was issued a patent on the double-headed sewing machine. In 1865, disinfectant was used for the first time during surgery by Joseph Lister. In 1867, U.S. President Andrew Johnson sparked a move to impeach him when he defied Congress by suspending Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. In 1877, Thomas Edison made the first sound recording on a phonograph. In 1898, the Spanish-American War was ended with the signing of the peace protocol. The U.S. acquired Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Hawaii was also annexed. In 1939, “The Wizard of Oz” premiered in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. In 1960, the balloon satellite Echo One was launched by the U.S. from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the first communications satellite. In 1973, Jack Nicklaus won his 14th major golf title. The win broke the record that had been held by Bobby Jones for 50 years. In 1981, IBM unveiled its first PC. In 1986, Rod Carew became the first player in the history of the California Angels franchise to have his uniform (#29) retired. In 1992, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico announced that the North American Free Trade Agreement had been created after 14 months of negotiations.

In Charles City, Iowa, a freight train car derailed and crashed into a bar, the Associated Press reports. The bar’s name? DeRailed.

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, two versions of a New Jersey man’s obituary have appeared together in a newspaper. According to the Associated Press, both obituaries in the Press of Atlantic City say Leroy Bill Black, of Egg Harbor Township, died Tuesday of lung cancer caused by fiberglass exposure. However, the obituary with top billing says he’s survived by his “loving wife” and a son. The second announcement, right beneath the first one with the same photo of Black, says he’s survived by his son, a host of siblings and his long-time girlfriend.

Between Columbus, Ohio, and Las Vegas, an airline passenger was discovered stowing a monkey in his shirt during a flight. According to the Associated Press, law enforcement met up with the plane and determined the monkey was a certified service animal, but a Frontier Airlines spokesman says the passenger broke policy by not informing the airline that he was bringing a service animal onboard, and then refusing to turn over documents verifying the monkey’s status.