Mark Mobius: Trump will win the trade fight with China — and here’s how to play it

With markets closing early today and not opening at all tomorrow, the big bears just might take a break from growling about the many headwinds that stocks are facing.

This one in California was just spotted relaxing in a hot tub and sipping a margarita:

But as the bears like to point out when they’re not chilling, this Independence Day sees the U.S. government locked in a worrisome trade fight with the country that’s aiming to become the world’s No. 1.

So will the U.S. beat China in this battle? Yes, says storied investor Mark Mobius for our call of the day.

“I think at the end of the day, the U.S. is going to win this one, because the U.S. is the biggest importer in the world, and China needs the U.S.,” he told CNBC in an interview late yesterday.

What would victory look like in this case?

“Winning means getting some concessions and a reduction in the trade deficit,” Mobius says.

President Donald Trump is right to view the huge trade gap with China as a problem, according to the former Templeton star manager.

“I agree with him completely,” Mobius says, referring to Trump. “The U.S. has been taken for a ride — let’s face it — over the last 20 or 30 years. It’s time to start saying, ‘Look, there has to be some reciprocity between these two countries, because it’s just crazy to have this kind of deficit.’”

Read more: Why Trump thinks he can win a fight over trade with other countries

And see: China can’t match Trump in a tariff fight, but it does have other weapons

The longtime emerging-markets bull offers a way for investors to bet on the eventual American triumph.

“What I would buy now is those countries who are going to be exporting to the U.S. instead of China — like Bangladesh , Turkey












TUR, -0.33%










 , Vietnam












VNM, -1.57%










 ,” Mobius says. “These are all big producers of garments and shoes and consumer goods.”

You can watch his comments to CNBC via the video clip below.

Don’t miss: Mark Mobius is ready to invest in North Korea

Key market gauges

Futures for the Dow












YMU8, +0.54%










 , S&P 500












ESU8, +0.45%










and Nasdaq-100












NQU8, +0.64%










are higher, after the Dow












DJIA, +0.15%










 , S&P












SPX, +0.31%










 and Nasdaq Composite












COMP, +0.76%










closed with gains yesterday.

Europe












SXXP, +0.98%










is advancing, after Asia finished mixed. Oil












CLQ8, +1.19%










and gold 












GCQ8, +0.59%










are moving up, as the dollar index












DXY, -0.28%










falls. Bitcoin












BTCUSD, -0.61%










is changing hands around $6,600.

See the Market Snapshot column for the latest action.

Check out: Which markets are closed on July 4th?

The chart

“With competing headwinds and tailwinds, the U.S. stock market has been largely range-bound since the January-February correction,” writes Schwab’s Liz Ann Sonders as she offers the handy chart above (h/t Daily Shot).

“If a few things go right in the near-term, including an easing of trade tensions, stocks could break out on the upside. But there are the aforementioned catalysts for a break out on the downside as well.”

The buzz

Concerns about trade tensions are putting pressure on China’s yuan












USDCNY, -0.3195%










 , which has fallen below a closely watched level of 6.700 per U.S. dollar. The People’s Bank of China is sounding supportive, saying it’ll keep the exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level.

The Trump administration has moved to block China Mobile












CHL, -0.27%










from accessing the U.S. market, citing national security concerns

A few years after leaving the public markets, Dell is taking a back door to return. Here’s what you need to know about its maneuver with VMware












VMW, +10.24%










 .

On the data front, we’re due to get June car sales today, so Ford












F, +0.27%










 , GM












GM, +0.25%










and the like could make moves, as May figures for factory orders also arrive.

Check out: MarketWatch’s Economic Calendar

Tesla












TSLA, -2.30%










engineering chief Doug Field is leaving the auto maker. While Elon Musk & Co. have achieved a major production milestone, investors shouldn’t do a victory lap until we actually see black ink in this year’s second half, says one MarketWatch column.

The SEC and FBI have joined the investigation into how Facebook












FB, +1.56%










handled information about its user.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached a migration deal with one of her coalition partners, easing concerns that the issue would upend her government. But there’s another crunch meeting today.

Famed lawyer Alan Dershowitz says he has faced “shunning” on Martha’s Vineyard for defending Trump.

Roger Federer is wearing duds from Fast Retailing’s












9983, +0.71%










Uniqlo at Wimbledon, as the tennis star ends more than two decades of sponsorship by Nike












NKE, -1.67%










 .

Visa’s stock












V, +0.04%










“appears to be setting up for another major move higher,” says The Kobiessi Letter in its latest “Chart of the Week.”

The quote

“Any attempt to dive the boys and their coach out will not be taken lightly because there are significant technical challenges and risks to consider.” —The British Cave Rescue Council talks about what’s next for the Thai soccer team that was missing.

Some reports have suggested the group of 13 might have to stay in the cave for months.

Read more: Lost boys found alive in Thai caves may need to learn to scuba to get free

Random reads

Go here tips for getting great photos of July 4th fireworks with a smartphone.

More from the phones beat: Samsung devices spontaneously text photos to random contacts.

What do those boarding-pass codes mean? Here’s your decoder ring.

Getty has picked its 15 most iconic photos in World Cup history.

Charity gets a big phone bill after losing a GPS tracker that it placed on a stork.

Jaws are dropping as the NBA’s best team becomes even better.

Water main breaks in the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed:

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