Chile stocks, peso gain in global bounce

Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:30pm EST
 
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(Updates with market close)

SANTIAGO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Chilean stocks ended higher and the peso rose against the dollar on Monday, following global markets upward as a U.S. government plan to rescue bank Citigroup soothed markets rattled by the financial crisis.

The peso closed up 1.26 percent against the dollar, as world prices for Chile's chief export copper jumped 7 percent.

Chile's blue-chip IPSA index .IPSA closed 2.05 percent higher at 2,418.29 and the all-market IGPA index .IGPA rose 1.53 percent to 11,547.69, preliminary closing figures showed.

Stocks rose broadly across sectors, including banks, resource, energy and retail issues.

Chile's largest bank, Santander STG.SN, a unit of Spain's Santander (SAN.MC), jumped 8.57 percent and No. 2 bank Banco de Chile CHI.SN rose 2.37 percent.

Banks got a push globally on Monday after the U.S. government agreed to inject $20 billion of new capital into Citigroup (C.N).

Chilean retailers also got a boost.

Cencosud CEN.SN, which operates supermarkets, department stores and other stores that sell housewares and construction materials, rose 1.94 percent after earlier gains of more than 3 percent.

Stock in Falabella FAL.SN, one of Latin America's top diversified retailers, was up 3.17 percent and La Polar LAP.SN, a smaller competitor, saw its shares rise 4.07 percent.

Chile's peso currency CLP=CL CHILJ closed at 674.00/674.40 per dollar, compared with a close on Friday at 682.50/683.00 per dollar.

The rise came as prices for copper -- Chile's main export -- were boosted by strong export data from No. 1 consumer China, and as equity markets surged around the world. (Reporting by Froilan Romero; Writing by Pav Jordan; Editing by James Dalgleish)

 
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