* Chile cenbank to hold rates through 2020 - poll * Brazil clocks strongest job growth last year since 2013 * WHO says virus outbreak a China emergency, not global By Shreyashi Sanyal Jan 24 (Reuters) - Latin American currencies were flat on Friday, on track to end the week higher with investors watching developments related to the coronavirus outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the flu-like virus outbreak an "emergency in China" and not of international concern. This relieved some investors, yet many worried about the spread of the virus which had killed 26 people and infected more than 800, as of Thursday. Major Latin American currencies traded in tight ranges against the dollar, with the Chilean peso strengthening slightly. Chile's central bank is expected to hold its benchmark rate at 1.75% in January, a poll of 62 traders showed, then keep it there through 2020 as it seeks to spur the ailing economy following months of unrest in the mining nation. The peso plummeted to historic lows in late November and December, prompting concerns of rising inflation. MSCI's index for Latin American currencies was up 0.04%. Brazil's real was flat, even as Economy Ministry figures showed 2019 marked the strongest annual job growth in the country since 2013, a sign that the economy's recovery from the last recession is finally picking up pace. "That are a lot of questions about what will happen to Brazilian debt over the next few years," said William Jackson, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics in London. "What the markets are still waiting for is some more tangible evidence of some of the reforms being talked about like the tax reform and the public service reform." The Mexican peso eked out gains as Reuters reported U.S. President Donald Trump will sign a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada on Wednesday during a ceremony at the White House. Colombia's peso edged higher as prices of oil, the country's main export, showed some signs of stabilization. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1422 GMT: Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 1124.05 0.17 MSCI LatAm 2918.53 -0.22 Brazil Bovespa 119037.13 -0.41 Mexico IPC - - Chile IPSA 4669.97 0.39 Argentina MerVal 41181.32 0.1 Colombia COLCAP 1648.18 0 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 4.1688 -0.10 Mexico peso 18.7669 -0.05 Chile peso 774.6 0.17 Colombia peso 3354.35 0.14 Peru sol 3.317 0.06 Argentina peso 60.0850 0.01 (interbank) (Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal and Medha Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio)
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