WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose to their highest in seven years due to the impact of hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the government said in a report on Thursday.
Initial jobless claims were at 497,000 in the week ended September 27, the highest since 517,000 in the week ended September 29, 2001 and above Wall Street economists' forecasts of 475,000.
(Reporting by Doug Palmer, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
