In the week ending September 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance was 267,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 264,000, the Labor Department reported. The four-week moving average was 271,750, a decrease of 750 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 272,500. 

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.86%, down from 3.91% one week ago, according to Freddie Mac. The average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is 3.08%, down from 3.11%.

Sales of new single-family houses in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000, according to estimates released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 5.7% above the revised July rate of 522,000 and 21.6% above the August 2014 estimate of 454,000.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in August decreased $4.8 billion or 2.0% to $236.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This decrease, down following two consecutive monthly increases, followed a 1.9% July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased less than $0.1 billion, or were virtually unchanged. Excluding defense, new orders decreased $2.2 billion or 1.0%. Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $4.8 billion or 5.8% to $78.7 billion.

U.S. stock indices closed lower Thursday as traders worry again about slowing global growth, according to the Associated Press. The Dow fell 78.57 points (0.48%) to 16,201.32, the NASDAQ lost 18.27 points (0.38%) to finish at 4,734.48, and the S&P 500 decreased 6.52 points (0.34%) to 1,932.24. The Russell 2000 was down 2.52 points (0.22%) at 1,137.53, and the Wilshire 5000 closed 75.28 points (0.37%) lower at 20,355.11.                        

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

The price of the 10-year Treasury note was up 8/32, decreasing its yield to 2.126%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond increased 21/32, bringing its yield down to 2.915%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1513, the Pacific Ocean was discovered by Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa when he crossed the Isthmus of Panama. He named the body of water the South Sea. In 1789, the first U.S. Congress adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of the amendments became the Bill of Rights. In 1978, Melissa Ludtke, a writer for “Sports Illustrated”, filed a suit in U.S. District Court. The result was that Major League Baseball could not bar female writers from the locker room after the game. In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court when she was sworn in as the 102nd justice. In 1995, Ross Perot announced that he would form the Independence Party.

And now it’s time for FRIDAY FILES!

In Manchester, New Hampshire, an owner of an apartment building called a tow truck to have an illegally parked car removed. After the car had been placed on the tow truck and lifted, the owner of the vehicle showed up. According to the Union Leader, to avoid having his car towed, the man set it on fire. The tow truck driver unhitched and dropped the vehicle, at which time the owner extinguished the car fire himself before fire and police personnel arrived. He was arrested for arson.

In Syracuse, Indiana, a woman and her 9-year-old son got in her car, and the woman started backing out of her driveway. When she turned to look behind her, she spotted a spider on her shoulder and panicked. According to the Associated Press, she leaped out of the car. Her son jumped in the front seat and tried to stop the car, but hit the gas pedal instead, and the car crashed into a school bus. Fortunately, the son had only minor injuries, the bus driver wasn’t hurt and there were no passengers on the bus.

In Esto, Florida, police responded to a reported burglary at a liq.uor store and found the front door busted and a lottery ticket dispenser missing.  About eight hours later, a man entered the store to cash in a winning lottery ticket. According to the Panama City News Herald, the store clerk notified police who arrived and confronted the man. He admitted to the earlier burglary.

In California, a federal judge ruled that Warner/Chappell Music does not own the copyright rights to the famous “Happy Birthday to You” song. He determined the song’s original copyright, obtained by the Clayton F. Summy Co. from the song’s writers, only covered specific piano arrangements of the song and not its lyrics, according to the New York Daily News. The lawsuit was filed two years ago by Good Morning To You Productions Corp., which is working on a documentary film tentatively titled “Happy Birthday.” The company challenged the copyright now held by Warner/Chappell Music Inc., arguing that the song should be “dedicated to public use and in the public domain.” The lawsuit also asked for monetary damages and restitution of more than $5 million in licensing fees it said Warner/Chappell had collected from thousands of people and groups who’ve paid to use the song over the years.