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 Sept. 27, the highest since 517,000 in the week ended Sept. 29, 2001 and above Wall Street economists' forecasts of 475,000.
