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Brazil's IGP-DI price index falls 0.3% in March

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Colombia CPI due

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Zimbabwe to introduce new currency linked to FX and gold

By Ankika Biswas

April 5 (Reuters) - Latin American currencies were mixed

against a strong dollar on Friday, with investors assessing

strong jobs data from the world's largest economy, the United

States, while the Mexican peso touched its strongest level since

November 2015.

Top crude exporter Mexico's peso strengthened 0.9%

against the dollar, also aided by strong oil prices.

Data showed U.S. employers hired far more workers than

expected in March while raising wages, suggesting the economy

ended the first quarter on solid ground and potentially delaying

anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.

The dollar index was last up 0.44% after a turbulent

week, falling from a five-month high to a two-week low after an

unexpected slowdown in services growth supported expectations of

rate cuts.

"Higher-for-longer U.S. rates should exert downward pressure

on Latam currencies, although the risk profile varies

considerably by market," said Joaquin Kritz Lara, chief

economist at Numera Analytics.

"So far, currency depreciation has occurred in countries

further along the easing cycle (Brazil, Chile), as narrower

interest spreads reduce the incentive for 'carry' trades."

The MSCI Latam currencies index was set for

its second consecutive weekly advance, while the stocks gauge

was poised for weekly losses.

The Brazilian real was up 0.1% against the dollar.

Brazil's inflation, as measured by the IGP-DI price index,

fell 0.30% in March, compared to a 0.41% gain in February,

private think tank Getulio Vargas Foundation said.

Further, Central Bank director Gabriel Galipolo said the

bank was a long way off foreseeing the end-cycle interest rate.

He also said there is no need for new intervention in the

foreign exchange market after the redemption of a dollar-linked

bond.

Investors will also monitor Colombia's consumer prices

inflation data, due later in the day. The peso was up

0.6% against the dollar, also supported by strong oil prices.

Meanwhile, top copper producers Chile's peso and

Peru's sol fell 0.4% and 0.1% respectively, owing to

weak copper prices.

Argentina's U.S. dollar bonds rallied, with the 2030 bond up

more than 3 cents to 54.85 on the dollar.

Elsewhere, Zimbabwe will introduce a new "structured

currency" linked to foreign currencies and gold that it expects

to provide more stability than its weakening dollar and help

rein in inflation.

Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies:

Stock indexes Latest Daily %

change

MSCI Emerging Markets 1044.56 -0.4

MSCI LatAm 2530.27 -0.47

Brazil Bovespa 126811.30 -0.48

Mexico IPC 57746.58 -0.24

Chile IPSA 6563.26 -0.39

Argentina MerVal 0.00 0

Colombia COLCAP 1397.90 -0.71

Currencies Latest Daily %

change

Brazil real 5.0452 0.10

Mexico peso 16.4540 0.78

Chile peso 946 -0.43

Colombia peso 3756.53 0.64

Peru sol 3.677 -0.08

Argentina peso (interbank) 862.5000 -0.06

Argentina peso (parallel) 980 2.55