EMERGING MARKETS-Latam currencies mixed; Nigeria eurobonds rise after rate hike

* Brazil consumer prices up in mid-March, annual inflation slows * Peru economy likely grew 2-3% in February - minister * FX flat, stocks up 0.3% By Ankika Biswas March 26 (Reuters) - Latin American currencies were mixed against a frail dollar on Tuesday, while Nigeria's sovereign international dollar bonds rose following a 200 basis-point rate hike and the Hungarian forint extended gains after an expected 75-bps rate cut. The MSCI index for Latam currencies was largely unchanged and the stocks gauge firmed 0.3%, with the dollar index inching 0.1% lower. Any clues on the Federal Reserve's path of policy easing is at the top of investors' radar, with a key inflation test on deck. U.S. core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) price index, due on Friday, is the central bank's preferred inflation gauge. Meanwhile, Nigeria raised its rate to 24.75%, its second straight hike in an attempt to tame soaring inflation, boosting sovereign international dollar bonds. The 2029 note saw the biggest rise, up 1.4 cents to 97.9 cents on the dollar, its highest price in almost two years, according to Tradeweb data. "Governor Cardoso's desire to bring inflation crisis to a close and also strengthen the naira will lead to more tightening. We have penciled in further 100-bps hikes in May and July each before the hiking cycle is brought to a close," David Omojomolo, an Africa-focused economist with Capital Economics wrote. Hungary cut its rate to 8.25%, slowing the pace of easing after its currency fell to a one-year low driven in part by an escalating standoff between the bank and the government. The forint was last up 0.3% against the euro. "The main goal of this exercise is to keep the risk premium high enough for investors in order to remain interested in long HUF positions to maintain market stability and to reduce the vulnerability of the forint," said ING Economist Peter Virovacz. Back in Latam, data showed Brazil's consumer prices rose slightly more than expected in their mid-March reading but the 12-month one still slowed to its lowest level since the middle of last year. The real was down 0.2% against the dollar. Its central bank said discussions on more modest interest rate cuts in future emerged within the rate-setting committee, citing heightened uncertainty domestic and international risks. Top copper producers Chile's peso firmed 0.1%, while Peru's sol fell 0.3%. Peru's Economy Minister Jose Arista highlighted economy likely grew between 2%-3% in February compared to the year-ago period, a positive sign as it aims to climb out of a recession. Among others, Colombia's peso was up 0.5%, while Mexican peso was largely flat. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies GMT: Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 1039.42 0.32 MSCI LatAm 2512.65 0.28 Brazil Bovespa 126753.15 -0.14 Mexico IPC 56501.31 -0.09 Chile IPSA 6531.42 0.57 Argentina MerVal 0.00 0 Colombia COLCAP 1324.19 -0.4 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 4.9852 -0.24 Mexico peso 16.6745 -0.01 Chile peso 979.8 0.08 Colombia peso 3875.99 0.48 Peru sol 3.7046 -0.25 Argentina peso (interbank) 856.5000 0.00 Argentina peso (parallel) 1000 2.00 (Reporting by Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)