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☆ Mexico sees solid economic expansion but price pressures persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Yorio said he sees annual inflation stabilizing at around 4.5% toward the end of the year. However, Bank of Mexico board member Jonathan Heath cautioned that the slowing pace of the inflation rate in recent months should not prompt premature celebration, local media outlet El Financiero reported on Wednesday. We still see a long battle ahead and this inflation phenomenon has really been much more complex than we would have imagined," said Heath. His comments come as the central bank has kept its benchmark interest rate at 11.25% since March, following a nearly two-year rate-hike cycle. Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Isabel Woodford; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gabriel Yorio, Yorio, Jonathan Heath, we're, Heath, Ana Isabel Martinez, Isabel Woodford, Sarah Morland, Stephen Eisenhammer, Alistair Bell Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Mexican Senate, U.S, automaking, Bank of, El, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Latin America, Mexican, Bank, Bank of Mexico

☆ Mexican core inflation slows more than expected to 20-month low
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Natalia Siniawski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That drop was off the back of lower core goods inflation, Capital Economics analyst Jason Tuvey said, while services inflation - which central bank board members have described as "sticky" - remained above 5% year over year. Annual core inflation in the second half of the month was "good news," said central bank board member Jonathan Heath on social media network X. Headline inflation edged downward to 4.64% in the month, in line with market expectations and its lowest since March 2021. That was driven by softer core price pressures, Capital's Tuvey said, but with inflation in the services sector still proving stubborn, the central bank is still unlikely to kick off an interest-rate easing cycle soon. The closely watched core price index rose 0.27% during the month (MXCPIX=ECI).

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Jason Tuvey, Jonathan Heath, Capital's Tuvey, Andres Abadia, Natalia Siniawski, Kylie Madry, Frances Kerry, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, Capital, Reuters, of, Macroeconomics, America, Thomson Locations: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, of Mexico

☆ Rising consumer prices in Mexico eased to a 17-month low in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

February's inflation rate stood at 7.62%. Still, core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, slowed to 8.09% from 8.29% the previous month. Month-on-month, Mexico's headline consumer price index rose by 0.27% in March, just under the 0.31% forecast in a Reuters poll. The latest data came ahead of a virtual meeting Wednesday between Latin American leaders from Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia, to discuss measures aimed at combating rising prices in the region. Last week, Mexico's central bank hiked its key interest rate to 11.25%, but moderating the pace of its tightening cycle.

☆ After steep climb in rates, Latam central banks show no signs of reversal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Isabel Woodford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Brazilian central bank's weekly survey of private economists last year foresaw cuts in June 2023, but a recent survey pushed the forecast back to November. The central bank's poll of traders now expects cuts won't come until May, likely making Chile the first mover. "We've had a quite a few hawkish comments from central banks across the region, pushing back against the idea of rate cuts," she added. That gives central banks the message that it's not quite time to think about a more relaxed monetary policy," he said. Political unrest in Peru may have also moved back the goalpost for cuts, with the central bank warning that protests have caused supply chain disruption and impacted consumer prices.

☆ Mexican central bank poised for lower rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"And, thus, limiting the next decision by referring to a policy rate adjustment of lower magnitude implies a high and costly risk of correction if the assumptions do not materialize," she said. In the minutes, board members underscored their concern over core inflation, which strips out some volatile food and energy prices, even as headline inflation has eased. "Most members pointed out that core inflation, which reflects inflation's trend more accurately, still does not show a downward trend. All five board members expressed concern that core inflation was more persistent than expected. The latest inflation data, released on Thursday, showed a slight easing, with annual core inflation down to 8.38% in the first half of February from 8.46% in the second half of January.

Banxico, as the Mexican central bank is known, has raised its benchmark interest rate by 700 basis points since its rate-hiking cycle started in June 2021, as inflation surged far beyond its target of 3%, plus or minus 1 percentage point. Initially Heath, who is regarded as one board's most hawkish members, expected to vote for a 25 basis points hike at the last meeting, until incoming data painted a "less benign" picture for inflation. He added that new information could sway Banxico's board members one way or another before the March 30 meeting. "Frontloading" with a half percentage point hike sought to keep that jump in services inflation to a one-off situation, said Heath, noting he saw price pressures starting to transition to more local and domestic factors from the predominantly global factors seen in recent years. Reporting by Anthony Esposito and Noe Torres; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Annual headline inflation in the first half of the month reached 7.94%, beating both the 7.77% recorded in the month of December and economists' forecasts of 7.86%, though still below the two-decade high of 8.70% registered in August and September. That means annual inflation remains far above the Bank of Mexico's target rate of 3%, plus or minus one percentage point. It is unlikely that the bank will make any cuts to the interest rate in the next six months, Bank of Mexico board member Jonathan Heath said in an interview last week. In the first half of January, according to statistics agency INEGI, consumer prices rose 0.46% compared to the previous two-week period, while the core index rose 0.44%, both also exceeding market estimates. Mexico's Latin American peer Brazil, where monetary tightening is on pause, also released mid-month inflation data on Tuesday, with prices slightly beating market forecasts.

☆ Mexican central banker says 'it is clear' economy is slowing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Mexico's economy is slowing, Bank of Mexico deputy governor Jonathan Heath said on Friday after official data showed economic activity shrank in November and December. Economic activity in Latin America's second-largest economy slipped 0.4% in December from November and contracted 0.1% in November from October in seasonally-adjusted terms, according to a preliminary estimate from national statistics agency INEGI. "It is clear that we are facing a slowdown in economic activity," Heath said. The data from INEGI also showed that economic activity likely grew by 2.7% in the 12 months through December and by 4.1% in the 12 months through November. Reporting by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Steven Grattan and Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Mexico to hike minimum wage by 20% in 2023, raising inflation worries
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Mexico will raise the minimum wage by 20% next year after employers, labor representatives and the government reached an agreement, officials said on Thursday, although some critics warned the move could fuel inflation. The latest minimum wage increase was calculated taking inflation into account, particularly price increases for basic goods, Lopez Obrador told reporters, playing down inflation concerns. Gabriela Siller, an economist at Banco BASE, pointed to three reasons why she believes the planned wage increase will pressure inflation further, even if some salary hike was already baked into inflation forecasts. Luis Munguia, head of Mexico's National Minimum Wage Commission (CONASAMI), said prices are expected to stay virtually flat because labor costs are already low in Mexico. Salaries in Mexico remain far below U.S. levels, where the federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour.

☆ Mexico core inflation higher than expected in early Nov, rate hikes to continue
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Mexico's annual consumer prices slowed more than expected during the first half of November, but the core inflation index - which remains a main concern in the country as it grapples with high costs - came in above market forecasts. Data from national statistics agency INEGI showed on Thursday that annual headline inflation in Mexico hit 8.14% in the period, down from 8.53% a month ago and also below consensus of 8.24% in a Reuters poll of economists. The latest inflation figures backed expectations that the local central bank, known as Banxico, would keep hiking interest rates. "Overall, headline inflation continues to edge down in Mexico, but core inflation remains sticky, which will continue to keep policymakers uneasy," said Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief Latin America economist, Andres Abadia. On a monthly basis, Mexico's headline inflation rose 0.56% while the core index was up by 0.34% in mid-November, the statistics agency said.

☆ Mexican headline inflation slows in early October, core index still a concern
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

An employee prepares dough to make tortillas at a tortilla stall in Ozumba de Alzate, State of Mexico, Mexico, May 24, 2022. Headline annual inflation in Latin America's second-largest economy inched down to 8.53% from 8.64% in the second half of September, also undershooting the consensus forecast of a Reuters poll for a rate of 8.63%. Compared with the previous two-week period, Mexican consumer prices rose by 0.44% in early October, the data showed. The core price index, which strips out some volatile food and energy prices, climbed 0.42% in early October, slightly above market expectations for 0.35%. Annual core inflation was 8.39%, above forecasts for 8.31%.

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