Don’t underestimate this week’s jobs data. Initial jobless claims — the number of folks filing applications for jobless benefits — inched up for a second week in a row, according to the Labor Department. Claims rose by 4,000 to 372,000 in the week ended Aug. 18, the highest level in about a month, underscoring the uneven nature of the labor market. Specifically, the most recent jobless claims numbers fall inside the “survey week,” that is the week that includes the 12th of the month, which is used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to help calculate the almighty monthly numbers. “The increase in the most recent week ... (full story)