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This is the most important  employment number in recent memory. Consensus estimates were for 650,000 with a wide range from 500,000 to 800,000.   Everyone is looking to this number to determine where we are headed.
There was a significant downward revision to January numbers as well.  I will parse the data so check back.
The Bureau [...]

Initial jobless claims came in at 639,000, down significantly from 670,000 the week before. This is one positive in a sea of bad news regarding the employment market. It does not mean that tomorrow’s unemployment number will be good. Expect a job loss number in the 600- to 700,000 range.

The widely followed ADP Employer Services jobs report shows that 697,000 jobs were lost last month, suggesting a very large unemployment number when the government data is released on Friday. I have indicated in the past that seasonal factors have artificially kept down jobless claims and I anticipate large surprises to the upside as these seasonal factors become apparent.

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The jobs picture is looking grim. Jobless claims for the week ending 14 Feb 2009 were 627,000, pushing the average to 619,000. Additionally, nearly 5 million people are staying on the unemployment roles, the highest figure ever. But, it should be a given that jobless claims have increased in this cycle — [...]

Jobless claims for the week ended February 7th came in at 623,000, pushing the 4-week average above 600,000 for the first time since 1982. This is a clear indication that the U.S. jobs picture remains weak. Further evidence of this weakness comes from continuing claims where 4.8 million are still on the unemployment roles.

U.S. initial jobless claims soared to yet another 26-year high, registering 626,000 for the week ending January 31st. The continuing claims number was equally dreadful, hitting an all-time high of 4.79 million.

A survey in China has determined that job losses amongst migrant workers are three times worse than had been reported. In fact, 20 million workers in China have already lost employment.

I have been out the entire morning and haven’t been able to read any news reports on the GDP numbers. However, I have just now had a chance to look at the data and wanted to share my thoughts with you, unfiltered by the media reports. I would sum it up by calling it a story about the three I’s of imports, inflation and investment. But, I will also have a few words to say about state and local government spending as well.

Seasonal adjustments for jobless claims are wearing off, but the uptick in claims remains. U.S. Jobless claims for the week ended January 24th came in at 588,000, up slightly from the previous week. Meanwhile, continuing claims reached a new high of nearly 4.8 million. The data only confirms how weak the U.S. jobs picture is and sets us up for a very big unemployment number on Friday.

This past week, jobless claims settled in at a level near 600,000 after a few weeks of decline due largely to seasonal adjustments. Jobless claims were 589,000 while continuing claims were 4,607,000.