Mexico's Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) fell 1.63% on Friday, March 20, 2026, closing at 64,134.9 units on the IPC, while Wall Street saw declines led by the Nasdaq at 2.01%. Weekly losses hit 2.31% for the BMV and about 2% for US indices, amid the Middle East war driving up oil prices.
Wall Street closed Friday, March 20, 2026, with declines: Nasdaq down 2.01% to 21,647.61 points, S&P 500 1.51% to 6,506.48, and Dow Jones 0.96% to 45,577.47. Weekly, the three indices lost about 2% due to volatility from the Middle East war and its oil effects, per El Financiero. Monex analysts noted that 'global equity markets showed negative movements, maintaining caution due to geopolitical instability in the Middle East, mainly supply chain disruptions strengthening inflation concerns'.In Mexico, the BMV fell 1.63%, with the IPC at 64,134.9 units; weekly -2.31%, chaining five down weeks and 10.5% over the last three. FTSE-BIVA dropped 1.68% to 1,276.29. The Mexican peso depreciated 1.18% or 1.22% (per sources), closing at 17.95 or 17.9557 per dollar per Banxico; in bank windows, 18.38 per Banamex. Banco Base's Gabriela Siller attributed the drop to 'risk aversion from the war, as Iran continued attacks against neighboring countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait', impacting oil production and blocking the Strait of Hormuz.Oil rose: WTI +2.44% to $97.90 per barrel; Brent +3.40% to $112.33. Fed officials like Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman expressed caution on inflation and support for rate cuts. Global markets also fell: Nikkei -3.38% to 53,372.53; DAX -2.01% to 22,380.19.
