The Mexican peso strengthened toward 17.91 per US dollar, testing its strongest level since July 2024, as broad US dollar weakness compounded with a cautious domestic policy backdrop. The recent pullback in the greenback reflects renewed concerns about Federal Reserve independence following reports of a Justice Department inquiry into Chair Jerome Powell, alongside rising expectations for additional Fed rate cuts after December nonfarm payrolls came in below forecasts. At home, after the widely expected 25 bp cut to 7.00% in December, Banxico’s minutes underscored a data dependent stance, acknowledging that while disinflation is advancing, underlying pressures, particularly in core components, still call for prudence. Policymakers signalled no urgency to accelerate easing, framing future moves as conditional rather than pre committed, which helped stabilise expectations after the initial narrowing of the rate differential.
