Most Latam stocks, FX steady; Peru interest rate decision due
Updated at 1405 GMT
Chile CB to likely cut interest rates by 25 bps, analysts say
Brazil retail sales fall less than expected in August
Argentina inflation data, Peru interest rate decision on tap
Latam MSCI stocks index flat, FX slips 0.2%
By Johann M Cherian
Oct 10 (Reuters) -Currencies and stocks across most of Latin America were steady against a weaker dollar on Thursday, as investors assessed inflation data out of the U.S. and kept an eye out for a monetary policy decision out of Peru.
An index tracking currencies in the region .MILA00000CUS see-sawed between marginal gains and losses. Markets priced in upcoming interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve after data showed U.S. inflation was broadly on a downward trend, even though prices ticked up more-than-expected in September.
Brazil's real BRL= was flat, after hitting levels seen two weeks ago in the previous session. Data showed retail sales in the region's largest economy fell less than expected in August from July. The retail sector has provided a big boost to economic activity this year.
Peru's sol PEN= was flat as traders awaited an interest rate decision out of copper producing country later in the day, with economists expecting borrowing costs to be lowered by 25 basis points to 5%.
"Recent data are broadly supportive of further normalization of the policy stance through a moderate move... the inflation backdrop showed incremental progress even relative to the benign dynamics in recent months and inflation expectations continue to soften, approaching the 2.0% target," said analysts at Goldman Sachs.
Oil exporter Colombia's peso COP= edged up 0.1%, tracking crude prices that rose over 1%, underpinned by a spike in fuel demand as a major storm barreled into Florida, and supply risks in the Middle East. O/R
Chile's peso CLP= firmed 0.2% after hitting a one-month low in the previous session. The copper producer's central bank is expected to lower its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% at its monetary policy meeting next week.
Meanwhile, the Mexican peso MXN= slipped 0.5% to 19.54 to the dollar, with minutes from Banxico's September meeting on tap. A day earlier, signs of cooling price pressures stoked expectations of further interest rate cuts by the local central bank.
Currencies of major economies in the region have hit a rough patch this week, and are on track for weekly declines as the initial optimism around China's stimulus and the consequent demand for commodities out of the resources-rich region fizzled out.
MSCI's gauge for equities in the region .MILA00000PUS traded near one-month lows, with stocks in Brazil .BVSP, Mexico .MXX and Colombia .COLCAP little changed.
Among single stocks, Brazil's Cosan CSAN3.SA lost 0.7% after saying it has scrapped the initial public offering of its subsidiary Moove Lubricants in the United States.
Later in the day, data out of Argentina is expected to show triple-digit inflation eased to 209.1% in September, against the backdrop of Libertarian President Javier Milei's efforts to transform the economy.
Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies:
Latin American market prices from Reuters | ||
Equities | Latest | Daily % change |
MSCI Emerging Markets .MSCIEF | 1155.75 | 0.65 |
MSCI LatAm .MILA00000PUS | 2181.67 | -0.07 |
Brazil Bovespa .BVSP | 129835.42 | -0.1 |
Mexico IPC .MXX | 51965.43 | 0.19 |
Chile IPSA .SPIPSA | 6536.53 | -0.07 |
Argentina Merval .MERV | 1771932.78 | Flat |
Colombia COLCAP .COLCAP | 1302.49 | 0.08 |
Currencies | Latest | Daily % change |
Brazil real BRL= | 5.5941 | Flat |
Mexico peso MXN= | 19.599 | -0.56 |
Chile peso CLP= | 930.9 | 0.17 |
Colombia peso COP= | 4231 | 0.11 |
Peru sol PEN= | 3.7198 | Flat |
Argentina peso (interbank) ARS=RASL | 975 | 0.00 |
Argentina peso (parallel) ARSB= | 1155 | 1.73 |
Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; editing by Philippa Fletcher
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