Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week almost to the lowest level since 1973, as employers show scant willingness to fire workers amid a tightening labor market. Jobless claims dropped by 5,000 to 249,000 in the week ended Oct. 1, a Labor Department report showed Thursday in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for 256,000. Continuing claims declined to the lowest level since 2000. Filings were just a hair above the four-decade low of 248,000 from April, a sign of minimal layoffs ahead of Friday’s monthly employment report. Companies are going head-to-head in finding skilled ... (full story)