International Business

MEXICAN STOCKS

* The Bolsa index slid 18.71 points to 2,024.39 on Wednesday, as the murder of another high-profile government official caused renewed worries about Mexico’s political stability.

* The market had rallied early in the day, then began to sell off on news that Leobardo Larios Guzman was shot to death outside his home. A former attorney general in the state of Jalisco, Larios is believed to have been killed by drug traffickers.

* The shock of Larios’ murder countered positive news that Mexico ran a $460-million trade surplus in March and that interest rates had fallen sharply at this week’s auction of treasury bills, or cetes.

The Bolsa Index

Wednesday closes: 2,024.39

Source: Times wire services

SPOTLIGHT: BRAZIL

Latin America’s largest economy has achieved stability in recent months, with inflation down to 1.5% a month. Brazil enjoys a balanced budget, cash reserves and record exports. But there are concerns over a potential spillover effect from Mexico’s crisis, and the memory of 2,000%-plus inflation in the early 1990s is still fresh.

Sources: Bank of America, World Information Services