In the week ending July 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 254,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 270,000, the Labor Department reported. The four-week moving average was 264,750, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week’s revised average of 267,250. 

Thursday, the Dow decreased 22.74 points (0.13%) to 17,895.88, the NASDAQ increased 17.65 points (0.36%) to 4,876.81, and the S&P 500 was down 2.64 points (0.13%) at 2,097.09. The Russell 2000 was up 2.42 points (0.21%) at 1,149.75, and the Wilshire 5000 closed 24.69 points (0.11%) lower at 21,698.89.

On the NYSE, 3.1 shares traded, with a slight lead for advancing issues. On the NASDAQ, 2.7 billion shares changed hands, with a 1.4 to 1 ratio of advancers to decliners.

ON THIS DATE: In 1663, King Charles II of England granted a charter to Rhode Island. In 1693, uniforms for police in New York City were authorized. In 1776, Col. John Nixon gave the first public reading of the U.S. Declaration of Independence to a crowd at Independence Square in Philadelphia. In 1795, Kent County Free School changed its name to Washington College. It was the first college to be named after U.S. President George Washington. In 1889, The Wall Street Journal was first published. In 1950, General Douglas MacArthur was named commander-in-chief of United Nations forces in Korea. In 1969, the U.S. Patent Office issued a patent for the game “Twister.”

In Denver, Colorado, and LaJolla, California, two ladies gave birth to their children on the same day, at the same time, in their specific time zones. What makes the story interesting is that the ladies are identical twin sisters. Today.com reports the first baby was born 1:18 a.m. Mountain time last Thursday in Denver. An hour later, the second baby was delivered 1:18 a.m. Pacific time in California.

In Berlin, Germany, a man wrote his own obituary prior to passing away. When it ran it described the man as “open, honest and unforgiving” and says his five siblings and their families are forbidden from attending his memorial service.

In Conestoga Township, Pennsylvania, a woman arrived home from work and found a note on her door that said: “Don’t be scared when you come in, Bob is here.” She walked in and found a man sleeping on her living room sofa. Police arrived and tried several attempts to wake the man. He was under the influence of a controlled substance and was in possession of several prescription drugs not prescribed to him, the local Fox News station reported. Investigators say the woman’s boyfriend knows the man, but not well, and had no idea the man found out where they live. The man was arrested for criminal trespass and possession of a controlled substance.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a man approached a vehicle at a gas station and attempted to rob the people inside. However, when he tried to pull a gun from his waistband, it got stuck, and he shot himself in the groin. The local NBC News station said the man was taken to the hospital and will face charges.

In Moscow, Russia, airline travelers were delayed for seven hours due to a woman’s urgent decision to get a divorce. She demanded to get off the plane. The crew tried to discourage her from leaving, but she repeated over and over, “I am not in the mood to fly now,” according to the UK’s Daily Mail. Due to safety regulations, everyone was forced to exit the plane and have their luggage security-screened again.