- President Lopez Obrador nominates Victoria Rodríguez to head the central bank.
- Mexican peso tumbles across the board after the announcement.
- Inflation in Mexico surpasses 7% to levels not seen in 20 years.
The Mexican peso is falling sharply against its main rivals on Wednesday, affected by the news regarding the nomination for the next head of the Bank of Mexico. The USD/MXN is rising almost 2%, trading near 21.60, the highest level since March.
As of writing, USD/MXN trades at 21.53. It peaked at 21.61, and a daily close around current levels would be the highest since October of 2020. The pair is testing the 2021 top it established back in March at 21.62.
Nomination changes at Banxico and higher than expected inflation
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador withdrew his nomination of former finance minister Arturo Herrera for governor of the central bank to replace current head, Alejandro Díaz de León. Lopez Obrador did not want Díaz de Leon to continue at the post and nominated Herrera back in June, leaving his post at the government a few weeks later.
On Wednesday, Lopez Obrador nominated Victoria Rodríguez Ceja. She holds a job at the Finance secretary and, if confirmed by the Senate, would be the first-ever female to lead Banxico.
The announcement came after data showed inflation accelerated during the first half of November (headline and core) surpassing expectations. The annual rate reached 7.05%, the highest level since April 2001. Banxico rose interest rates at the last meeting for the fourth consecutive time to 5% in order to curb inflation. Wednesday’s inflation figures warrant that more hikes are on the way.
At the same time, the US dollar remains strong in the market, boosted by recent economic data and higher yields. The rally of the greenback adds more fuel to the USD/MXN.
Technical levels
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD clings to daily gains above 1.0650
EUR/USD gained traction and turned positive on the day above 1.0650. The improvement seen in risk mood following the earlier flight to safety weighs on the US Dollar ahead of the weekend and helps the pair push higher.
GBP/USD recovers toward 1.2450 after UK Retail Sales data
GBP/USD reversed its direction and advanced to the 1.2450 area after touching a fresh multi-month low below 1.2400 in the Asian session. The positive shift seen in risk mood on easing fears over a deepening Iran-Israel conflict supports the pair.
Gold holds steady at around $2,380 following earlier spike
Gold stabilized near $2,380 after spiking above $2,400 with the immediate reaction to reports of Israel striking Iran. Meanwhile, the pullback seen in the US Treasury bond yields helps XAU/USD hold its ground.
Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC post-halving rally could be partially priced in Premium
Bitcoin price shows no signs of directional bias while it holds above $60,000. The fourth BTC halving is partially priced in, according to Deutsche Bank’s research.
Week ahead – US GDP and BoJ decision on top of next week’s agenda
US GDP, core PCE and PMIs the next tests for the Dollar. Investors await BoJ for guidance about next rate hike. EU and UK PMIs, as well as Australian CPIs also on tap.