- In one line: Banxico likely to move to the sidelines next month.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Retail sales in Mexico performed poorly in Q1, due mainly to tighter financial conditions.
- The bad news won’t last; the sector will be supported by falling inflation and lower rates.
- The outlook, however, will likely be tempered by remittance trends and external risks.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: A solid start to the year, but downside risks are emerging.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: Resuming rate cuts but keeping a cautious bias.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Peru’s BCRP surprised markets once again, with a 25bp rate cut to 6%; more easing is on the cards.
- Congress approved a bill allowing pension-fund withdrawals; financial markets will suffer temporarily.
- Argentina’s BRCA cut rates to 70%, as inflation pressures are easing on a month-to-month basis.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: Back to the target range, and the near-term outlook is benign.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: Further interest rate cuts likely, as inflation pressures continue to ease.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Brazil’s industrial output is weak in Q1, due to tight financing conditions and despite some bright spots.
- Rising business confidence signals manufacturing will gain momentum in Q2.
- The external accounts remain robust; the 12-month trade surplus is at historic highs…will this continue?
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Brazil’s jobless rate continues to fall, and leading indicators point to a good performance in Q2.
- This improvement will leave the COPOM uneasy, but we believe conditions will stabilise in the near future.
- In his first 100 days in office, Milei tackled the daunting task of addressing Argentina’s problems.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
ACTIVITY IS STRUGGLING AND DISINFLATION IS CONTINUING…
- …ENABLING CENTRAL BANKS TO PURSUE FURTHER RATE CUTS
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- The improving inflationary outlook has allowed Banxico to start an easing cycle, by 25bp to 11.00%.
- The forward guidance continues to indicate the potential for further cuts, depending on the data.
- The room for policy easing at the next meetings remains wide open, as inflation will continue to fall.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: The Board exercises caution, as forward guidance is limited to one meeting.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: A poor start to the year, but conditions will improve soon.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- The significant reduction in LatAm’s current account deficit last year appears promising…
- …But it was primarily due to weaker domestic demand; exports showed only modest resilience.
- The deficit is likely to widen again as the economy recovers, but better global demand will offset the hit.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: Overshooting expectations, once again, by far.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line: On hold, but expect a further rate cut soon.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Peru’s BCRP surprised markets by keeping rates on hold but reducing reserve requirements.
- Chile’s inflation surged in February, due to the CLP sell-off, posing challenges for the BCCh.
- Risks and uncertainty loom as the CLP faces depreciation pressures due to the unattractive carry.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America