Axios

Some freelancers can pull in more than $100 an hour for management consulting, programming or graphic design. Others struggle to make much more than $10 an hour, beholden to "gig work" platforms like Uber or TaskRabbit.

Why it matters: Being one's own boss, with the flexibility it brings, can be lucrative for people who can differentiate themselves from competitors. For the rest, it can be quicksand.

Public market investors are turning a more critical eye toward "unicorn" startups, particularly those with lax governance and big losses.

Why it matters: This comes after years of laser focus on top-line growth, and is challenging for older startups that had geared their business models to the old normal.

Maybe you didn't grow up dreaming of being an "augmented reality journey builder" or "master of edge computing" or a "cyber calamity forecaster." But someone will.

The big picture: Jobs of the future will be heavy on the use of algorithms, automation and AI; customer experience; environment; fitness and wellness; health care; legal and financial services; transport; and work culture.

The U.S. trade deficit grew to $54.9 billion in August, jumping for the first time in 3 months due to increased imports, reports the AP from Commerce Department data.

Why it matters: Though it had fallen in June and July, the country's overall trade deficit is still up for the year as a result of President Trump's ongoing trade war with China.

The U.S. economy added 136,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate fell even lower, from 3.7% to 3.5% — the lowest level since December 1969 — the government said on Friday.

Why it matters: While it's fewer than the 145,000 economists expected, the labor market continues to be the bright spot in the economy. The number may calm recession fears after a week that saw deterioration in manufacturing data and softening on the all-important services side of the economy.

The U.S. Treasury yield curve is steepening, which typically means investors are growing more confident about the economy. However, analysts say recent moves are actually the result of more fear being priced into the market.

Why it matters: Rather than bets U.S. growth or inflation will pick up, as is the case when the curve sees "bull steepening," action in the Treasury market reflects worry that things could get especially bad in the short term, Tom Essaye, president of Sevens Report Research, tells Axios.

Bullish market analysts and money managers have been somewhat dismissive of deteriorating manufacturing data this year and its importance, arguing that the sector makes up a minute portion of the U.S. economy.

Why it matters: While that is true, manufacturing is a leading indicator, and more bearish investors have insisted the sector's decline would drag the rest of the economy down with it.

Investors will be closely watching today's U.S. nonfarm payroll report, but they will also have 1 eye out for news on a potentially pivotal meeting between U.S. and Chinese negotiators next week.

What's happening: President Trump downplayed the importance of the meeting on Thursday, telling reporters he has "a lot of options on China. But if they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous power."

Tech giants, TV networks, and even transit companies are all struggling to figure out how to manage political ads ahead of the 2020 election. While some firms choose to run lots of political and issue ads with little oversight, others opt to ban them altogether.

Why it matters: Absent strict government regulation of political ads across all media, the decision over how to manage those ads is left to companies. And while most firms have faced this dilemma for years, the hyper-political environment leading up to 2020 is shining a stronger spotlight to their decisions.