Mexico’s equity benchmark finished the session slightly in the red on Thursday, with the S&P/BMV IPC declining 0.06% at the close. Losses in the Industrials, Consumer Goods & Services and Consumer Staples sectors were cited as the principal contributors to the market's downward tilt.
Market breadth was tilted toward losers: 124 stocks finished lower versus 113 that advanced, while 11 names were unchanged on the Mexico Stock Exchange.
Top performers
- Grupo Carso, S.A.B. De C.V. (BMV:GCARSOA1) led gains on the index, rising 6.84% - a 9.78-point climb to close at 152.81.
- Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV (BMV:VOLARA) added 3.13%, or 0.47 points, to finish at 15.51.
- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB De CV Class B (BMV:GAPB) gained 2.30%, equivalent to a 9.91-point increase, closing at 441.50 in late trade.
Heaviest decliners
- Alsea, S.A.B. De C.V. (BMV:ALSEA) was the session's weakest performer, falling 3.14% or 1.51 points to 46.63 at the close.
- Sigma Foods SAB de CV (BMV:SIGMAFA) declined 3.04%, a drop of 0.49 points, to end at 15.61.
- Wal Mart de Mexico SAB de CV (BMV:WALMEX) slipped 2.84% or 1.47 points to close at 50.32.
On the commodities front, Gold Futures for August delivery moved sharply lower, down 3.51% or 153.65 to $4,227.75 a troy ounce. Energy prices saw modest declines: Crude oil for July delivery fell 0.27% or 0.21 to $76.58 a barrel, and the August Brent contract slipped 0.26% or 0.21 to trade at $79.22 a barrel.
Currency moves accompanied the session: the USD/MXN rate rose 0.16% to 17.37, while EUR/MXN increased 0.11% to 19.90. The US Dollar Index Futures was higher as well, up 0.76% at 100.62.
The mix of sector performance and commodity moves left the market essentially flat in magnitude, even as particular stocks showed sizable individual swings. Industrials and consumer-facing names were clear influences on the index's slight decline.
Session takeaway - Mexico’s main index registered a small retreat amid uneven sector performance, with selective strength among some industrial and infrastructure-linked names offset by weakness in restaurants, food and retail-related stocks.