According to the latest figures released, the number of people seeking unemployment benefits in the US has fallen by 8,000 to 355,000 seasonally adjusted.

The improvement shows that the job market has been increasing but officials say that the fall might also be influenced by superstorm Sandy that hit the US east coast recently. Officials pointed out that the number of applications declined in one state because its unemployment office lost power during the storm and it was not able to receive applications.

The storm pushed up applications in some states as those temporarily out of work looked to claim service. The Labor Department pointed out that the four -week average stood at 370,500, recording a rise of 3,250 in the period.

The department spokesman says that if the decline is sustained, the applications would be a good sign for the economy. But, it is believed that the storm would continue to influence for up to three to four weeks. Experts say that extreme weather can hold down filings in the beginning and would continue to influence figures in the coming weeks.