Money markets have already priced in U.S. Federal Reserve cuts on borrowing costs in the world's top economy this year, prompting some investors to re-assess their holdings of U.S. banks, as they expect narrower margins in lending, while being selective with their holdings of European financials.
* MSCI EM stocks index set for best monthly performance since Jan.
* MSCI EM stocks index dips 0.2%, following three days of gains
June 19 Emerging market stocks rose on Wednesday, while developing world currencies broadly firmed against the dollar as investors counted on the U.S. Federal Reserve's outlook later today to match their expectations of lowering U.S. borrowing costs.
* MSCI's EM stocks index up 0.4%; S.Korean, Taiwanese stocks gain
* MSCI's EM stocks index down 0.3%; lower for 4th straight day
* China May industrial output growth slowed to 17-year-plus low
* S.African rand firmer, April mining data due later on Thursday
* MSCI's EM stocks index slips 0.4%; Shanghai Composite down 0.6%
(Recasts throughout, updates prices, adds quote, graphic) By Aaron Saldanha June 7 Latin American currencies broadly firmed against the dollar on Friday, with the peso aided by U.S. President Donald Trump's comment that chances were good for an immigration deal with Mexico, a day after Fitch's downgrade of Pemex whacked the currency. The downgrade of the state-owned oil firm's debt to "junk" prompted a further sell-off in the debt-laden company's bonds. Fitch downgraded Mexico's sovereign debt on Wednesday. Trump's optimistic tweet raised the appetite for risk, although the White House was still pushing ahead with its plan to impose import tariffs on its southern neighbor next week. Mexico's peso firmed 0.6%, while MSCI's index of Latin American currencies gained 0.4%. Yields on local 10-year bonds slid a little more than 8 basis points from Thursday's highs, which were recorded in the wake of the Pemex downgrade. Stocks on the Mexican benchmark eked out a 0.1% rise. Despite one-month peso implied volatility rising to near its highest level of 2019 and some investors fearing Moody's could also downgrade Pemex, others see value in company's debt relative to the Mexican sovereign. "In hard currency, the (yield) spread to sovereign is attractive in our view, especially in the long end of the curve i.e. above 15 years. We believe the default scenario is remote," said Marcelo Assalin, head of emerging market debt at NN Investment Partners. Assalin said Pemex's credit worthiness for peso-denominated debt "is actually higher than in dollars, particularly given the weak peso," noting the about 340 basis-point spread of Pemex's peso debt to the Mexican sovereign's. Brazil's real firmed 0.2% against a weak dollar, while stocks rose 0.6%, aided by gains among consumer discretionary and energy stocks. Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) common shares and preferred shares gained 2.2% and 1.6%, respectively, helped by a 2.8% rise in Brent crude futures . The state-controlled oil firm's chief executive said Thursday's ruling by Brazil's Supreme Court that state-run firms do not need congressional approval to sell their units was "very important and a victory for the country". Colombia's peso strengthened 0.7%, while stocks rose 1.4%. Energy firm Ecopetrol SA traded 3.6% higher. The state-run company said it will launch a new phase of cost cuts aimed at saving 8 trillion Colombian pesos ($2.45 billion), with the bulk of the savings in exploration and production. Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1859 GMT Stock indexes Daily % Latest change MSCI Emerging Markets 1,007.23 0.45 MSCI LatAm 2,738.35 0.95 Brazil Bovespa 97,753.14 0.56 Mexico IPC 43,210.31 0.14 Chile IPSA 4,966.59 0.8 Argentina MerVal 35,667.93 -0.18 Colombia IGBC 12,245.65 1.4 Currencies Daily % Latest change Brazil real 3.8688 0.34 Mexico peso 19.5798 0.53 Chile peso 691.8 0.06 Colombia peso 3,263.18 0.78 Peru sol 3.327 0.27 Argentina peso (interbank) 44.8500 0.18 ($1 = 3,263.1800 Colombian pesos) (Reporting by Aaron Saldanha in Bengaluru Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
Britain was weighing its next moves in the Gulf tanker crisis on Sunday, with few good options apparent as a recording emerged showing that the Iranian military defied a British warship when it boarded and seized a ship three days ago.