Week 10, 2025 - Latin America

"Necessity made me." - Antonio Valencia (Ecuadorian footballer)

MARKETS

March 6, End Of Day

• Argentina S&P MERVAL Index = 2,270,181.14 (YTD = -10.40%)
• Brazil BOVESPA Index = 123,357.55 (YTD = 2.56%)
• Chile S&P IPSA Chile = 3,952.90 (YTD = 9.36%)
• Colombia MSCI COLCAP = 1,603.01 (YTD = 16.20%)
• Mexico IPC Mexico BMV = 52,816.43 (YTD = 6.27%)
• Peru S&P/BVL Peru = 28,886.98 (YTD = -0.26%)

BUSINESS

Brazil’s Role in Major Global Forums

Following its G20 presidency in 2024, Brazil continues to play a central role in global discussions in 2025 by hosting the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and COP30 in Belém. These events highlight Brazil’s ongoing participation in shaping global policy discussions.

Brazil’s G20 Presidency 2024

Summit in Rio de Janeiro, November 18-19, 2024

Theme: Focused on social inclusion, energy transition, and reform of global governance institutions.

• Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty: Launched a multilateral initiative to tackle food insecurity and inequality.
• Energy Transition: Advocated for sustainable energy policies and financing mechanisms to support emerging economies.
• Global Governance Reform: Pushed for greater representation of developing countries in institutions like the UN and IMF.

BRICS Summit 2025

Rio de Janeiro, July 6-7, 2025

Theme: “Inclusive and Sustainable Global South” – Strengthening cooperation among emerging economies.

• BRICS Expansion: Indonesia joins as a full member.
• Economic Cooperation: Push for de-dollarization, trade in local currencies, and a stronger New Development Bank (NDB).
• Sustainability & Innovation: Focus on green investments, food security, AI, and digital payments.
• Geopolitical Strategy: Increased South-South coordination and global governance reforms.

COP30 2025

Belém, November 10-11, 2025

First time in the Amazon region. President is André Corrêa do Lago, an experienced diplomat, emphasizes multilateralism and science-based policies. Main themes:

• Amazon and Biodiversity Protection: Central focus on deforestation, conservation, and sustainable development.
• Climate Finance: Push for more funding for developing nations to support green transitions.
• Loss and Damage Fund: Negotiations on financial mechanisms to compensate vulnerable nations for climate-related losses.
• Global Carbon Markets: Discussions on carbon pricing, credit mechanisms, and international regulations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Uruguay: Yamandú Orsi took office as Uruguay's new president, marking a shift to the center-left. Backed by former President José Mujica, Orsi has pledged a “modern left” agenda focused on balancing social welfare with economic growth. His administration faces economic challenges, including high living costs and inequality, as well as geopolitical pressures from the U.S. regarding Chinese investment. While his Broad Front coalition holds a Senate majority, it lacks control of the lower house, potentially complicating governance

El Salvador: The government announced additional bitcoin purchases, bringing its strategic reserve to over 6,102 coins. This follows the IMF's approval of a $1.4 billion loan program, which led to bitcoin’s downgraded status in the country. While the government assured the IMF it would not accumulate more bitcoin at the public sector level, recent purchases remain within the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund. El Salvador's dollar bonds dipped following the news.

Latin America: Regional markets surged as hopes for U.S. tariff exemptions lifted investor sentiment. Mexico’s peso rebounded 1.1%, while Brazil’s real gained 2.3%, its best day since 2022. Chile’s peso hit a four-month high, boosted by rising copper prices. Stocks also jumped, with MSCI’s Latin America index up 2.7%, snapping an eight-session losing streak. President Claudia Sheinbaum is set to speak with Donald Trump as Mexico finalizes its retaliatory tariff plans.

FURTHER READING

Check our recently published insights here. Recent post:

?? Clean Hydrogen Economy in Latin America

• High Potential – Abundant solar, wind, and hydro resources position Latin America as a leader in green hydrogen production.
• Key Players – Chile aims to produce the world’s cheapest hydrogen by 2050, while Argentina focuses on hydrogen exports.
• Challenges – Infrastructure gaps, high production costs, and regulatory uncertainty slow development.
• Strategic Approaches – Countries are exploring hydrogen for exports, domestic decarbonization, and industry-specific applications.
• Collaboration is Key – Regional integration, public-private partnerships, and cross-border infrastructure can accelerate progress.

?? Read more here.