BMV closes lower after day of low volume; markets focus their attention on China

Las stock markets of Mexico The negotiations on Wednesday closed in negative territory. Local stocks fell amid news of the easing of restrictions by the Covid-19 in China which, although it fueled expectations of a rebound in economic growth, also raised concerns about the rapid increase in infections in that Asian country.

The leading index S&P/BMV IPC of the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV), which groups the 35 most liquid stocks in the Mexican market, fell 1.57% to 49,648.21 units.

During the day, 73.3 million shares were traded in the S&P/BMV IPCwell below the daily average of the previous weeks of about 200 million.

The airline papers you will fly VOLARA.MX led the decline, with 5.33% less at 15.63 pesos, followed by those of the airport group Assyrian ASURB.MX, which subtracted 2.91% to 473.72 pesos.

Meanwhile, the FTSE BIVAfrom the Institutional Stock Market (It happens), fell 1.59% to 1,036.01 units.

The sudden turn in China’s anti-covid policy generated nervousness around the world and led countries like the United States and Italy to impose tests on travelers from the Asian giant.

The Chinese government announced that it was eliminating the quarantine requirement for foreign visitors as of January 8, the last measure in force in its rigid zero-covid policy.

The initiative sparked jubilation among the Chinese population, who rushed to buy international air tickets.

But many countries view this relaxation of sanitary measures in the world’s most populous country with concern and have begun to impose restrictions.

The United States, which was already considering limiting the entry of travelers from that country, confirmed on Wednesday that as of January 5 it will require negative tests for covid-19 from all air travelers from China, Hong Kong y Macaosaid a government health official.

Beijing’s easing measures put an end to the regime of “zero COVID“, which had involved mass testing, lockdowns and extensive quarantines that crippled its economy and sparked nationwide protests.

“The current development of the Chinese epidemiological situation is predictable and under control,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

(With information from Reuters and AFP.)

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