(Updates with closures)
By Nelson Bocanegra
BOGOTÁ, March 1 (Reuters) – Latin American money and stock markets closed with gains in the first session of the month on Wednesday, buoyed by favorable data from the Chinese economy which boosted appetite for assets risks, such as those in the region, as well as the rise in the price of oil.
* China’s manufacturing activity grew at the fastest pace in more than a decade in February, beating market expectations.
* Added to this was the rise in oil prices, a major generator of foreign exchange for many countries in the region, while the outlook for global fuel demand improved.
* However, officers continue to assess monetary policy messages from developed economies, particularly what the US Federal Reserve will do next.
* “There is no doubt that last February put a big question mark over the ability of (monetary) policymakers to drive inflation towards target, so there is now a broad consensus for higher rates in our prospects,” said a report from the Acciones y Valores brokerage in Bogota.
* The Chilean peso closed the day with a rise of 2.07%, at 811.30/811.60 units per dollar, helped by a sharp rise in the price of copper, the main export of the country. At the same time, the main index of the Santiago Stock Exchange, the IPSA, closed down 0.35%, at 5,376.05 points.
* In Brazil, the real appreciated by 1.09% to 5.1794 units for the dollar; while the Bovespa stock market index lost 0.52% to 104,384.67 points.
* The Mexican peso strengthened 0.86% to 18.1430 units to the dollar, in its third session of gains, also supported by positive data on business confidence and the country’s remittances; while the main S&P/BMV CPI stock index rose 1.36% to 53,473.46 points, amid market optimism on expectations of increased foreign investment inflows.
* The Colombian peso recovered 0.59% to 4,828.12 units to the dollar, after the sharp drop in the previous session; While on the stock market, the MSCI COLCAP benchmark index rose 0.95% to 1,198.89 points.
* The Peruvian currency, the sol, appreciated 0.42% to 3.778/3.779 units to the dollar. At the same time, the benchmark index of the Lima Stock Exchange improved by 1.78% to 574.10 points.
* In Argentina, the peso fell 0.21% under control, to 197.55/197.57 to the dollar thanks to central bank regulation; while Argentina’s main S&P Merval index gained 0.86% to 249,580.45 points. (Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra, additional reporting by Froilán Romero in Santiago and Hernán Nessi in Buenos Aires, editing by Manuel Farías and Aida Peláez-Fernández)