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Mexican peso jumps 1% after sharp losses earlier this week
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Banxico cuts 2024 GDP forecast
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Bovespa on track for record high close
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IMF approves new credit line for Chile
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Latam stocks down 0.5%, FX down 0.6%
(Updated at 1935 GMT/3:35 pm ET)
By Shashwat Chauhan and Lisa Pauline Mattackal
Aug 28 (Reuters) - Most currencies of resources-rich
Latin American countries slipped on Wednesday as the dollar
perked up following its recent string of declines, while
slipping prices of commodities like crude oil and copper further
exacerbated losses.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback
against a basket of major global peers, gained 0.5% after
hitting its lowest level so far this year last week. MSCI's
index tracking Latin American currencies against the greenback
lost 0.7%.
However, the Mexican peso rose 0.6% after falling
more than 3% in the last two sessions, though investors
continued to eye the progress of controversial judicial reforms.
The peso pared some earlier gains after Mexico's ruling
coalition fell just one senator short of a
supermajority
in the Senate after two opposition senators flipped. Debate
on the reforms is expected to begin as Congress convenes on
Sunday.
Additionally, the
Bank of Mexico
trimmed its forecast for economic growth this year and
next, while slightly increasing its fourth-quarter core
inflation forecast.
"There's more concern about the internal political
situation, so I wouldn't chase Mexico right now," said Geoffrey
Dennis, independent emerging markets researcher.
Declines in prices of oil and metals also weighed on the
currencies of resource-rich Latin American countries. Colombia's
peso lost 1.5%, while the currencies of top copper
producers Peru and Chile lost 0.1% and 0.8%.
Latin American currencies gained last week as the dollar
sagged on dovish comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome
Powell, with the focus now on the size of an interest rate cut.
Policy easing in the U.S. is likely to ease conditions
for emerging market currencies and central banks.
"(Fed rate cuts) will take a little pressure off central
banks in emerging markets, there are certainly a number that
would like to be cutting rates a little more quickly," Dennis
said, citing Brazil as an example.
Brazil's central bank chief Roberto Campos Neto said that
the country's disinflation process has slowed while inflation
expectations have further deviated from the official 3% target
recently. Data on Wednesday showed the economy created 188,021
formal jobs in July, slightly less than forecast.
Brazil's real slipped nearly 1%, extending losses to
a third straight session, also hurt by slipping iron ore prices.
MSCI's gauge of Latin American stocks
lost 0.5%.
Brazil's Bovespa stock index reversed early losses,
rising 0.4% and was on course to close at a record high as banks
and oil companies led gains.
Mexican stocks were flat, while Colombian stocks
rose 0.2%.
HIGHLIGHTS
** IMF approves new credit line for Chile worth $13.8 bln
** Argentina official says lithium, copper to drive metal
exports to $10 bln by 2027
** Venezuela's Machado says peaceful protests, external
pressure could still oust Maduro
Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies:
MSCI Emerging Markets 1096.83 -0.27
MSCI LatAm 2265.29 -0.52
Brazil Bovespa 137336.56 0.41
Mexico IPC 52496.15 0.04
Chile IPSA 6379.75 0
Argentina Merval 1619604.6 0.215
5
Colombia COLCAP 1343.84 0.2
Brazil real 5.5618 -0.97
Mexico peso 19.6402 0.56
Chile peso 913.29 -0.76
Colombia peso 4095.5 -1.46
Peru sol 3.7247 -0.09
Argentina peso (interbank) 948 0.1054852
32
Argentina peso (parallel) 1315 1.9011406
84