The Day at a Glance | November 26 2021

The Top

*WHO calls for a special meeting to discuss the virus`s new variant with origins in South Africa, which carries important mutations and has started to spread.

*Markets slow down expectations of rising interest rates on behalf of the FED from June to July of 2022 after the new virus`s variant was announced.

*Mexico`s exports increased marginally in October (0.18% monthly; 0.01% annual); imports increased 1.12% during the month (25.1% annual).

*Mexico`s trade balance deficit slightly widened to 2,701 million dollars in October.

*Members of the ECB will withdraw stimuli in March 2022, but will be open to resuming said stimuli in light of the virus and inflation.

*Foreigners liquidated 14,596 million dollars in Mexican bonds during the 3Q21; the largest amount in 12 years: Banxico.

Economic environment

A new variant. A new variant of the virus known as B.1.1.529 has been identified as “concerning” due to its multiple mutations after being detected in South Africa and Botswana. The World Health Organization called for a special meeting today in order to understand the new variant`s implications regarding transmission and vaccine efficacy rates. It`s feared that the new variant will discharge an aggressive new wave of contagion around the world and hinder efforts of economic recovery, which is why markets have shown great risk aversion since Asian markets opened. The new variant was recently detected in persons travelling to Hong Kong and another case was reported in Israel. Governments in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Israel have started restricting flights to South Africa and neighboring countries; the European Union proposed similar measures. It has still not been determined whether or not the variant causes more severe infections, if it`s capable of causing more deaths or if it spreads more easily. All that is known is that the mutations have taken place in the virus`s spike protein, which plays an important role in the virus`s entry into the cells and is the main agent identified by vaccines. 100 cases are estimated to have come up in South Africa.