HIGHLIGHTS: Interview with Mexico central banker

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Following are highlights from Reuters interview with Mexican central bank Gov. Guillermo Ortiz on Friday:

ON GLOBAL ECONOMY:

"There is a sensation that we have probably touched bottom in this crisis. Going forward, things could look better, and we can see this from the financial side through the reduction in the spreads that indicate aversion to risk.

"Without losing sight of the fact that production at the global level is going to remain depressed and of the important hit taken by the American consumer, who finally is the consumer of last resort, at least we no longer have the feeling of freefall."

ON MEXICO ECONOMIC GROWTH:

"Sequentially, we will probably see a recovery by the third quarter -- GDP growth in the third (quarter) with respect to the second. However, in annual terms we will see a drop in the third quarter.

"I am expecting that a rebound in orders by the manufacturing industry, including the automotive, etc. could begin to be felt by the next quarter.

"Simply put, I think that we have firm signs that we will see a better second half compared to what we saw in the first half" of 2009.

ON INFLATION: