International Business

MEXICAN STOCKS

* Mexican stocks, taking their cue from plunging shares on Wall Street, fell for the fourth day in a row amid concern that borrowing costs won’t drop further and that second-quarter earnings at both U.S. and Mexican companies could be worse than expected.

* The nation’s gross domestic product is expected to decline about 4.5% in the second quarter.

* The prospect that economic activity will not accelerate in either the United States or Mexico encouraged investors to sell shares in companies that rely on government spending, discretionary consumer income or exports for the bulk of their sales.

The Bolsa Index

Wednesday closes: 2,436.49

Sources: Dow Jones; Bloomberg Business News

SPOTLIGHT: COSTA RICA

Costa Rica has a long tradition of stable democracy and an enviable human rights record. Two weeks ago, it and other Central American nations suspended coffee exports to try to shore up plummeting prices of their top export. It has also pledged to work toward a free-trade pact with other Central American nations.

Sources: Bank of America, World Information Services