Storm disrupts US labour mart

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week but remained high due to Superstorm Sandy, a sign the storm has caused substantial disruption to the labour market.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 41,000 to a seasonally adjusted 410,000, the US labour department said.

An analyst from the department said several states were still reporting an increase in claims due to Sandy, the storm that struck the east coast on 29 October after a hurricane petered out but combined with a tropical storm.

Sandy left millions of homes and businesses without electricity, shut down public transport and many factories.

However, the economic impact of the storm is likely to be temporary.