Merval edges down 0.2%

The panel of leading stocks index declined 0.2 percent and stood at 3,538.38 points.

Argentina's country-risk meanwhile declined 0.9 percent to 544 basis points in the JP Morgan EMBI index.

The American currency traded for ARS$4.05/ARS$4.01 with no change to the previous closing price in the main banks and foreign exchange houses in Buenos Aires downtown.

The main indicator of the Brazilian stock market's average performance edged up 0.2 percent to 67,684.99 points. It has dropped 2.3 percent so far in 2011.

Meanwhile, the US dollar dropped 0.5 and stood at R$1.663 on the local spot market.