The U.S. Department of Labor just released the latest revised unemployment figures, and for the week ending February 21, jobless claims were 667,000. This is the highest reading since since October 1982 (back then, claims were 695,000). Reuters adds, "The number of people remaining on the benefits roll after drawing an initial week of assistance increased by 114,000 to a 5.112 million in the week ended Feb. 14, the most recent week for which data is available. The so-called continued claims topped every estimate in a Reuters poll of 15 economists, which had a consensus forecast of 5.00 million."