EMERGING MARKETS-Latam stocks, currencies mostly slip on Fed; Brazil real rises
(Updates prices) SAO PAULO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Most Latin American stocks and currencies fell on Friday on growing debate over when U.S. interest rates will rise following mixed signals from U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers and official communication.
Bullish speeches from two Fed officials on Thursday put investors on edge ahead of next week's meeting of world central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Their comments clashed with the minutes from the Fed's last policy meeting, which showed a consensus among U.S. central bank policymakers that more data is needed before raising interest rates.
The Chilean peso weakened 0.55 percent, weighed down by lower prices for copper. The Mexican peso fell 0.16 percent.
Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index slipped 0.11 percent, tracking a decline in financial shares.
But the Brazilian real strengthened 0.81 percent after that country's central bank dialed back its daily currency intervention following six straight daily losses.
The central bank sold only $500 million worth of reverse currency swaps, which function like dollar purchases from investors for future delivery, from $750 million previously.
Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 2124 GMT: Stock indexes Latest Daily YTD pct pct change change MSCI Emerging Markets 910.34 -0.66 14.63 MSCI LatAm 2,484.21 -0.49 35.76 Brazil Bovespa 59,098.92 -0.11 36.33 Mexico IPC 48,297.46 -0.29 12.38 Chile IPSA 4,147.42 0.09 12.70 Chile IGPA 20,493.64 0.05 12.90 Argentina MerVal 15,598.22 0.21 33.60 Colombia IGBC 9,938.13 0.17 16.27 Venezuela IBC 12,257.61 0.59 -15.98 Currencies Latest Daily YTD pct pct change change Brazil real 3.2071 0.81 23.50 Mexico peso 18.22 -0.16 -5.55 Chile peso 659.8 -0.55 7.56 Colombia peso 2,856 0.79 10.97 Peru sol 3.32 -0.48 2.83 Argentina peso (interbank) 14.9175 0.18 -12.97 Argentina peso (parallel) 15.37 0.46 -7.16 (Reporting by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Chris Reese)
