Euro-Zone February unemployment jumped to 8.5%. Expectations had been for a reading of 8.3% and with January numbers revised up to 8.3% from 8.2% data were much higher than expected and highlight the extent to which the sharp slowdown in economic activity is pushing up jobless figures. Spanish unemployment jumped to 15.5% in February from 14.8% in January as the housing market and manufacturing collapses. Ireland, another country with a collapsing housing market, reported a rise in the jobless rate to 10.0% from 9.3%. The marked rise will continue to keep a lid on consumption trends in coming months.