USD/MXN rises above 21.00 as Trump imposes tariffs on Mexican imports
- USD/MXN appreciates over 2% following Trump's 25% tariffs on Mexican imports, effecting on Tuesday.
- The US also set 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, while Chinese exports would face a 10% tariff.
- The US tariffs reinforce the dovish expectations of Banxico delivering a larger rate cut on Thursday.
USD/MXN hits the week by extending its gains for the third successive session, trading near 21.20 during the Asian hours on Monday. The pair has surged over 2% following US President Donald Trump's decision to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican imports. Set to take effect on Tuesday, the tariffs target concerns such as illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced retaliatory tariffs on Saturday, ranging from 5% to 20%.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the US Dollar’s value against six major currencies, rises for the fifth successive day and trades above 109.50 at the time of writing. ISM Manufacturing PMI for January will be eyed later on Monday.
Meanwhile, US inflation data reinforced the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) hawkish stance on the monetary policy outlook. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, rose 0.3% MoM in December, up from 0.1% in November. On an annual basis, PCE inflation accelerated to 2.6% from the previous 2.4%, while core PCE, which excludes food and energy, remained steady at 2.8% YoY for the third straight month.
The US tariffs along with the economic slowdown reinforce the expectations surrounding the Banco de México (Banxico) to deliver a larger rate cut on Thursday. However, the central bank was expected to lower rates by at least 25 basis points (bps), bringing them down from 10% to 9.75%, though analysts at Capital Economics suggest a 50 bps cut remains a possibility.
Mexican Peso FAQs
The Mexican Peso (MXN) is the most traded currency among its Latin American peers. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Mexican economy, the country’s central bank’s policy, the amount of foreign investment in the country and even the levels of remittances sent by Mexicans who live abroad, particularly in the United States. Geopolitical trends can also move MXN: for example, the process of nearshoring – or the decision by some firms to relocate manufacturing capacity and supply chains closer to their home countries – is also seen as a catalyst for the Mexican currency as the country is considered a key manufacturing hub in the American continent. Another catalyst for MXN is Oil prices as Mexico is a key exporter of the commodity.
The main objective of Mexico’s central bank, also known as Banxico, is to maintain inflation at low and stable levels (at or close to its target of 3%, the midpoint in a tolerance band of between 2% and 4%). To this end, the bank sets an appropriate level of interest rates. When inflation is too high, Banxico will attempt to tame it by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for households and businesses to borrow money, thus cooling demand and the overall economy. Higher interest rates are generally positive for the Mexican Peso (MXN) as they lead to higher yields, making the country a more attractive place for investors. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken MXN.
Macroeconomic data releases are key to assess the state of the economy and can have an impact on the Mexican Peso (MXN) valuation. A strong Mexican economy, based on high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence is good for MXN. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) to increase interest rates, particularly if this strength comes together with elevated inflation. However, if economic data is weak, MXN is likely to depreciate.
As an emerging-market currency, the Mexican Peso (MXN) tends to strive during risk-on periods, or when investors perceive that broader market risks are low and thus are eager to engage with investments that carry a higher risk. Conversely, MXN tends to weaken at times of market turbulence or economic uncertainty as investors tend to sell higher-risk assets and flee to the more-stable safe havens.
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