MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico’s central bank should consider decoupling from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, Deputy Governor Omar Mejia said in a Bloomberg Linea story published on Wednesday, calling for discussion of the issue at the bank’s next policy meeting.
“We’re going to be reviewing the data. We have the decision coming soon and these are elements we are going to have to incorporate,” Mejia said after a meeting with local bank association ABM.
Video accompanying the story quoted Mejia as saying the central bank, known as Banxico, will discuss decoupling from the U.S. monetary authority.
“It’s one element, it’s an important element, but it’s not the only element,” he added.
Banxico did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mexico’s central bank is considering raising its benchmark interest rate at its next policy meeting, scheduled for Feb. 9, according to minutes from its December session. The Fed is also expected to raise its key lending rate at its meeting next week, on Jan. 31-Feb. 1, although at a slower pace than its previous rate hikes.
Banxico’s current benchmark interest rate is at 10.50%.
(Reporting by Noe Torres; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Leslie Adler)
