The Mexican peso closed on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 18.2025 units per dollar, a depreciation of 1.21%, equivalent to 21.88 centavos against the previous close of 17.9837, according to El Economista.

The move followed the release of the minutes of Banco de México's monetary policy meeting of September 24. At that meeting, the Board of Governors kept the benchmark rate at 6.5%, and the minutes showed that some of its members left open the possibility of further cuts: one noted that in the following decisions "a one-off reduction could be evaluated" and another mentioned that there are elements to discuss a "fine downward adjustment," according to El Universal Cartera. The wholesale exchange rate traded above 18.23 pesos per dollar during the session and closed at 18.18 in operations reported by Bloomberg. A weaker peso makes imported products more expensive in pesos and reduces the purchasing power of income that families receive in dollars, such as remittances.

The same day, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that headline inflation accelerated to 3.45% annually in September, from 3.26% in August, below the 3.47% that analysts expected, according to El Economista. At bank counters, the dollar sold for 18.67 pesos, 24 centavos more than on Wednesday. Among major currencies, the peso posted the worst performance of the session. Analysts cited by El Universal Cartera attribute the move to the narrowing interest rate differential against other central banks, which makes carry trade operations less attractive, the strategy of borrowing in one currency and investing in another to take advantage of the rate difference.

Banco de México's next monetary policy decision and the October inflation reading, which INEGI publishes in early November, will set the tone for the exchange rate in the coming weeks. For importers, travelers and families receiving remittances, the level of 18 pesos per dollar is the new starting point.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.