Not great news because the number is high but it could have been worse. Most are predicting a steady rise in unemployment through the end of 2009, possibly into 2010. Reuters:
The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose 27,000 last week, the government said on a report on Thursday that showed the number of workers receiving benefits at a record high.
Initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits increased to a seasonally adjusted 640,000 in the week ended April 18 from a revised 613,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said.
