The Producer Price Index for final demand fell 0.3% in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced. Final demand prices decreased 0.2% in November and advanced 0.2% in October. In December, the index for final demand goods dropped 1.2% and prices for final demand services moved up 0.2%.

In the week ending January 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 316,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week’s revised level, the Labor Department reported. The four-week moving average was 298,000, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week’s revised average.

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.87%, up from 3.83% one week ago, according to Freddie Mac. The average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.15%, up from 3.10%.

Disappointing earnings from large banks, mixed economic data and a move by the Swiss National Bank to ditch its currency ceiling and implement a rate cut, pushed stock indices lower Thursday. The Dow was down 106.38 points (0.61%) at 17,320.71, the NASDAQ lost 68.50 points (1.48%) to finish at 4,570.82, and the S&P 500 decreased 18.60 points (0.92%) to 1,992.67. The Russell 2000 fell 22.35 points (1.90%) to 1,154.71, and the Wilshire 5000 closed 211.61 points (1.00%) lower at 20,953.34.

On the NYSE, 3.2 billion shares traded, with 1.8 declining issues for every advancing issue. On the NASDAQ, 2.7 billion shares changed hands, with a near 4 to 1 lead for decliners.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note increased 1 4/32, with its yield falling to 1.735%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond jumped up 2 11/32, with its yield dropping to 2.368%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1547, Ivan the Terrible was crowned Czar of Russia. In 1866, Everett Barney patented the metal screw, clamp skate. In 1919, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes,” was ratified. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm, the code-name for the U.S.-led offensive against Iraq, began. In 2002, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted sanctions against Osa.ma bin La.den, his ter.ror network and the remnants of the Tali.ban. The sanctions required that all nations impose arms embargoes and freeze their finances. In 2013, Pauline Phillips, who for more than 40 years wrote the “Dear Abby” newspaper advice column, died at age 94 in Minneapolis after battling Alzheimer’s disease.

And now it’s time for FRIDAY FILES!

In Macedon, New York, police spotted a woman driving erratically around a Walmart parking lot. The 46-year-old told officers she had gotten lost on the way home. Suspecting she was drunk, an officer subjected the woman to a breat.halyzer test. She registered a 0.26. However, she hadn’t been drinking your usual alc.oholic beverages—she had been drinking vanilla extract, which contained 41% alc.ohol. She was arrested and charged with driving while into.xicated.

In Spokane Valley, Washington, two men carrying large garbage bags over their shoulders while walking were stopped by police. The bags contained frozen lamb chops. The men said a woman gave them the food because she was moving, but police followed their footprints in the snow to a home that had been broken into. The resident said the lamb chops were stolen from her freezer. The men were charged with burglary and theft.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a man boarded a long-delayed flight to New York to find that every other passenger had been rebooked on another flight. According to CNN, he chose an aisle seat near the front of the plane and stretched out. He got a flight attendant to snap pictures of him, with rows of empty seats in the background, and tweeted it. However, the man ended up only getting a semi-private jet; the plane was about to push back when, at the last minute, another man hopped on.

In Coon Rapids, Minnesota, a 60-year-old man called police and reported there might be dead bodies in his house. When officers responded, the man opened the door wielding a large Samurai sword, a 12-inch knife and a long wooden stick with a spear fastened to it. KSTP-TV reports the man eventually put down the weapons and police searched his home. They didn’t find dead bodies, but did find nearly 16 grams of metha.mphetamine.

In Los Angeles, California, police officers approached and questioned two men sitting in a SUV at Venice Beach. When one of the men is asked to step out of the car, a passenger in the back appears to crack saying, “I can’t do this I can’t do this, we have a bunch of coke in the back…it’s not ours we were just bringing it to a friend,” NBC News reports. The officers asked the men to step out of the car and handcuffed them. A search of the trunk, however, turned up numerous sodas covered by a blanket. Commander Andrew Smith of the LAPD was less than impressed. “It is dangerous for the participants involved and a huge waste of a police officer’s time. The public has a right to have their police officers working and not wasting their time responding to juvenile pranks.” The SUV was equipped with cameras on the Dash and in the trunk, and the two men posted the prank on Youtube.

In Largo, Florida, WFTS reported that new rugs ordered for the sheriff’s administration building say “In Dog We Trust” instead of “In God We Trust.” The real kicker is the forest green rugs with the sheriff’s yellow badge were in the entrance area for a couple of months before the error was discovered.

In Kissimmee, Florida, a police officer sought to pull over a gold Acura after the vehicle nearly slammed into his cruiser. The officer activated his car’s overhead lights, but the Acura continued moving. According to The Smoking Gun the officer said that while shining a spotlight on the Acura, “I saw the sun roof of the vehicle open.” Breuer slowed his car down feeling the passenger was going to throw something out of the vehicle. Breuer then watched as the vehicle’s passenger stuck his right hand out of the sunroof. A clear bag come out of the sun roof, flew into the air… and landed on the hood of the police officers car. The bag contained coc.aine. The men finally pulled over and were arrested.

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