Mexico 4th qtr private spending up, aggregate demand slows

Mexican private spending rose during the fourth quarter, data showed on Friday, but growth in aggregate demand in Latin America's second biggest economy slowed on lower government spending and a drop in investment and exports.

Private spending rose 0.9 percent during the fourth quarter compared to third quarter, the national statistics agency said. Private spending was 3.5 percent higher than during the same period a year earlier, its highest since 2013.

Aggregate demand increased 0.1 percent from the previous quarter, down sharply from the pace of the third quarter as government spending slowed while gross fixed capital formation contracted by the most since 2013 and exports fell.