Commodity weakness drags Latam currencies to multi-week lows
Updated at 1421 GMT
Santander Brasil's net profit up 44% in Q2, beating forecasts
Fitch: Mexico's proposed judicial reform may hit investments Mexico's consumer prices overshoot all estimates in mid-July
Latam stocks down 1.1%, FX off 1.2%
By Johann M Cherian
July 24 (Reuters) -Currencies of resource-rich Latin American economies fell to multi-week lows on Wednesday, tracking weak commodity prices including iron ore and copper, while investors monitored quarterly earnings reports from top corporates in the region.
Brazil's real BRL= fell 0.9% and hit a three-week low, as prices of iron ore, the country's biggest export item, fell for the fourth consecutive session, weighed down by a weakening steel market and lingering concerns about demand in top consumer China. IRN/
MSCI's index tracking currencies in Latin America .MILA00000CUS dropped 1.2% against the dollar to levels seen earlier in the month.
The world's largest copper producer Chile's peso CLP= slipped for the second-straight day, down 0.2% as copper prices fell to their lowest in three-and-a-half months, weakened by rising inventory and selling by commodity trading funds. MET/L
Mexico's peso MXN= depreciated 1.3% to hit a three-week low. Investors assessed data that showed consumer prices in the region's second largest economy rose more than expected during the first half of July, driving 12-month inflation further from the central bank's 3% target.
"Banxico had for a long time been focused primarily on the strength of core services inflation but policymakers have recently sounded more concerned about the weakness in the economy in their communications," said Kimberley Sperrfechter, emerging markets economist at Capital Economics.
"For now, we are sticking with our view that Banxico will resume its easing cycle in August."
Concerns lingered about the repercussions on trade and immigration between U.S. and Mexico in the event of a second Donald Trump presidency.
Separately, ratings agency Fitch said Mexico's proposed judicial reforms may dampen the corporate investment climate. The local left leaning government has supported the election of judges by popular vote.
The peso notched its biggest quarterly loss since the pandemic in the second quarter.
Oil exporter Colombia's peso COP= fell 1% to more than two-week lows. Crude prices were marginally higher but were still close to their lowest level in six weeks. O/R
On the equity front, MSCI's index tracking regional bourses .MILA00000PUS slid 1.1% to a three-week low.
Brazil's Bovespa .BVSP dipped 0.1%, with the fall limited by a 1% rise in Santander Brasil SANB3.SA after the lender posted upbeat second-quarter recurring net profit helped by higher lending and fees.
Mexico's benchmark index .MXX inched 0.5% lower, with Alsea ALSEA.MX shedding 0.4% after the Fast-food chain operator posted a 68.4% fall in its second-quarter net profit, weighed down by higher financial costs and exchange rate effects.
Grupo Financiero Banorte GFNORTEO.MX slid 2.1%. The lender posted a 7% climb in second-quarter net profit, citing double-digit growth in its loan book.
Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies:
Latin American market prices from Reuters | ||
Stock indexes | Latest | Daily % change |
MSCI Emerging Markets .MSCIEF | 1083.99 | -0.27 |
MSCI LatAm .MILA00000PUS | 2210.19 | -1.15 |
Brazil Bovespa .BVSP | 126377.80 | -0.17 |
Mexico IPC .MXX | 53439.55 | -0.5 |
Chile IPSA .SPIPSA | 6552.42 | 0.02 |
Argentina MerVal .MERV | 0.00 | 0 |
Colombia COLCAP .COLCAP | 1359.62 | -0.07 |
Currencies | Latest | Daily % change |
Brazil real BRBY | 5.6303 | -0.78 |
Mexico peso MXN=D2 | 18.3670 | -1.24 |
Chile peso CLP=CL | 948.3 | -0.26 |
Colombia peso COP= | 4054.24 | -0.97 |
Peru sol PEN=PE | 3.7547 | 0.00 |
Argentina peso (interbank) ARS=RASL | 927.0000 | -0.05 |
Argentina peso (parallel) ARSB= | 1425 | 1.40 |
Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; editing by Barbara Lewis
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