EMERGING MARKETS-Latam currencies fall as stimulus cheer fades, Brazil stocks rise

Reuters

Sept 20 (Reuters) - Latin American currencies lost ground against the dollar on Friday as optimism stemming from stimulus in major economies began to fade, while stocks in Brazil led the charge among regional indices. MSCI's index of Latin American currencies fell 0.4% in early trading hours with Brazil's real hovering at two-week lows. The real in on course to lose nearly 2% of its value against the dollar mostly due to the central bank on Wednesday cutting its interest-rate to a record low and signaling room for further easing. The Bovespa rose 0.3%, aided by gains among financials and energy stocks but a nearly 2% drop in shares of Eletrobras capped gains. Signals that Brazilian state-run power firm Eletrobras may not be taken private dented investors sentiment after the president of the nation's Senate said there was little political appetite to privatize the company. Both stocks and currencies in Mexico rose marginally. Mexican private spending rose 0.2% during the second quarter compared to the previous three-month period, the national statistics agency said on Friday. Stock markets in Chile were shut for a public holiday. Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 14:07 GMT Stock indexes daily % change Latest MSCI Emerging Markets 1021.10 0.45 MSCI LatAm 2676.03 -0.25 Brazil Bovespa 104383.39 0.24 Mexico IPC 43047.15 0.07 Chile IPSA - - Argentina MerVal - - Colombia IGBC 12934.34 -0.23 Currencies daily % change Latest Brazil real 4.1818 -0.47 Mexico peso 19.4490 0.11 Chile peso - - Colombia peso 3390.26 -0.26 Peru sol 3.3578 -0.11 Argentina peso - - (interbank) (Reporting by Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrea Ricci)