Privately owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,126,000, the Census Bureau announced. This is 3.0% below the revised July estimate of 1,161,000, but is 16.6% above the August 2014 rate of 966,000. Single-family housing starts in August were at a rate of 739,000; this is 3.0% below the revised July figure of 762,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 381,000.

In the week ending September 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 264,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 275,000, the Labor Department reported. The four-week moving average was 272,500, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 275,750.

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.91%, up from 3.90% one week ago, according to Freddie Mac. The average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.11%, up from 3.10%.

Major U.S. stock indices ended mostly lower Thursday after a volatile day in which the Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates low. The Dow closed 65.21 points (0.39%) lower at 16,674.74, while the NADAQ was up 4.71 points (0.10%) at 4,893.95, and the S&P 500 was down 5.11 points (0.16%) at 1,990.20. The Russell 2000 closed 5.49 points (0.47%) higher at 1,180.69, and the Wilshire 5000 decreased 25.53 points (0.12%) to 21,007.72.

On the NYSE, 3.2 billion shares traded, with 1.5 advancing issues for every declining issue. On the NASDAQ, 2.7 billion shares changed hands, with a 1.2 to 1 ratio of advancers to decliners.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note increased 29/32, bringing its yield down to 2.192%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond climbed 1 14/32, decreasing its yield to 3.010%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1793, U.S. President George Washington laid the actual cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol. In 1851, the first issue of “The New York Times” was published. In 1927, Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting System made its debut with its network broadcast over 16 radio stations. The name was later changed to CBS. In 1947, the United States Air Force was established as a separate military branch by the National Security Act. In 1955, the “Ed Sullivan Show” began on CBS-TV. The show had been “The Toast of the Town” since 1948. In 2003, Robert Duvall received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.                                 

And now it’s time for FRIDAY FILES!

In Watson, Louisiana, a man driving a truck pulling a horse trailer stopped in a daiquiri shop, and when he left, he decided it was safer to leave the truck there and ride the horse home. A deputy responded to complaints about the man riding his horse on the highway. She couldn’t arrest him for DW.I, so she ticketed him for being dru.nk in public. The man told a local ABC News reporter, “When you get a little too much to drink, why not ride a horse? It’s safer that way. The horse knows the way home.”

In Twin Falls, Idaho, a woman called police saying she had arrived home to find her back door open and her house ransacked. There was an unfamiliar cell phone on her bed, and an unfamiliar car parked behind her house. As officers were in the house investigating, a woman drove up behind the unfamiliar car and dropped off a man. The man told officers he had let a friend borrow the car and the keys got locked inside. However, the car keys were also found in the house, and since his story didn’t add up, the man was arrested.

In South Union Township, Pennsylvania, a 46-year-old man went to a Walmart and removed a wireless phone from a shelf using a knife. He went to an aisle in another department and tried to open the phone packaging. However, according to CBS Pittsburgh, in his attempt, he stabbed himself in the arm and began bleeding excessively. Store employees noticed and tried to approach him, but he left the store. The man drove straight to the hospital, where police were able to catch up with him and arrest him for theft.

In Whitefield, Manchester, England, video footage at a couple’s home shows a man dousing their van with gasoline. The video shows an explosion, and apparently the arsonist did not stand back far enough, because he was seen running from the flames with his arms on fire. According to the Bury Times, police searched the emergency departments at local hospitals and found the suspect.