Updated
Updated · mufgresearch.com · Aug 25
Mexican Peso Breaks Below 17.00 per Dollar as Banxico Hold Bets and AI Exports Surge
Updated
Updated · mufgresearch.com · Aug 25

Mexican Peso Breaks Below 17.00 per Dollar as Banxico Hold Bets and AI Exports Surge

1 articles · Updated · mufgresearch.com · Aug 25

Summary

  • USD/MXN fell below 17.00 this month for the first time since June 2024, with MUFG saying the peso has strengthened beyond its earlier expectations.
  • 6.50% policy rates and Banxico minutes pointing to a longer hold have reinforced Mexico’s carry appeal, while Q2 GDP grew 1.4% quarter on quarter and services inflation stayed sticky.
  • USD 83 billion in Mexican computer-server exports in H1 2026 added another tailwind, with AI-related shipments up 172% year on year in the 12 months to June and 94% going to the US.
  • Low volatility has helped sustain the trade, with 1-month USD/MXN implied volatility near its lowest since 2019, though leveraged funds’ net long peso positioning is nearing a post-Covid high.
  • MUFG argues that, despite broader fears of US fiscal strain and dollar debasement, history favors dollar stabilization and continued outperformance by high-yielding emerging-market currencies while yields stay elevated.

Insights

Could Mexico's unexpected rise as an AI hardware hub shield the peso when the crowded carry trade eventually collapses?
Will the ballooning US debt inevitably trigger a catastrophic dollar debasement despite historical stabilization trends?
If Treasury buybacks are merely a liquidity band-aid, what happens when long-term US yields permanently stay above five percent?