In the week ending November 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 269,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 260,000, the Labor Department reported. The four-week moving average was 269,250, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 271,000.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in October, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $6.8 billion or 2.9% to $238.8 billion, down from the previously published 3.0% increase, the Census Bureau announced. Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $6.0 billion or 7.9% to $82 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $235.1 billion.

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.93%, down from 3.95% one week ago, according to Freddie Mac. The average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.16%, down from 3.18%.

Global markets sank Thursday after the European Central Bank announced stimulus plans that came up short of what investors had forecast. According to the Associated Press, the bond market was especially roiled by the ECB’s move. The Dow lost 252.01 points (1.42%) to finish at 17,477.67, the NASDAQ closed 85.70 points (1.67%) lower at 5,037.53, and the S&P 500 was down 29.89 points (1.44%) at 2,049.62. The Russell 2000 decreased 21.12 points (1.77%) to 1,170.56, and the Wilshire 5000 fell 329.26 points (1.52%) to 21,298.13.

On the NYSE, 3.2 billion shares changed hands, with declining issues outnumbering advancing issues more than 4 to 1. On the NASDAQ, 2.7 billion shares traded, with a more than 3 to 1 lead for decliners.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note decreased 1 7/32, bringing its yield up to 2.318%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond fell 2 29/32, increasing its yield to 3.057%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1812, Peter Gaillard patented the power mower. In 1918, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson set sail for France to attend the Versailles Peace Conference. Wilson became the first chief executive to travel to Europe while in office. In 1942, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the dismantling of the Works Progress Administration. The program had been created in order to provide jobs during the Great Depression. In 1945, the U.S. Senate approved American participation in the United Nations. In 1991, Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson was released after nearly seven years in captivity in Lebanon. In 1991, Pan American World Airways ceased operations.

And now it’s time for FRIDAY FILES!

In Tempe, Arizona, a police officer was making his way to the jailhouse when his license plate reader notified him that a reported stolen vehicle had just passed him. The truck stopped at the police department and the driver told the officer that he had borrowed the vehicle to pick his girlfriend up from jail, according to the local ABC News station. The driver was taken into custody.

In Cortland, New York, a man was irate after he left family court. The Cortland Voice reported that he was driving into a while flatbed truck when police found him ramming into other cars. He caused a minor injury to one vehicle occupant, and totaled a probation officer’s SUV, among much other damage. The man was arrested in the parking lot.

In Deyang, China, a fisherman who distrusted financial institutions buried his entire life savings five years ago. When he and his family recently dug it up, they discovered that the plastic bag the bills were in had deteriorated, and worms and insects had eaten through much of his $5,500. According to Yahoo! News, “his local bank—which he didn’t trust to hold his savings in the first place—has come to the rescue, swapping the notes that are in good enough condition for fresh ones,” totaling a little more than half of the man’s money.