(Updates prices)
SAO PAULO, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Chile's equities market hit a record intraday high on Thursday, boosted by conglomerate Copec and a better outlook for copper prices, while Argentina's stock index also rose amid heavy interest from international investors.
On Wednesday, the Chilean government raised its forecast for the average 2018 price for copper , the nation's most important export by far, to $3.06 from $2.95 previously. Chile's blue-chip IPSA index ended the day up 0.92 percent after reaching an all-time high of 5,845.72 points.
Shares in Copec, which owns forestry company Arauco, gained the most, up 3.11 percent, to close at their highest ever level. The stock was boosted by news that leading Brazilian pulpmaker Fibria Celulose SA would hike its pulp prices.
Shares in Copec's holding company, AntarChile , rose 2.95 percent.
Argentina's smaller Merval index also hit an all-time high after a Tuesday decision by the central bank to cut the interest rate on its Lebac securities. Argentina's stock market has benefited in recent months from foreign capital inflows, as high liquidity abroad combines with a favorable political outlook for the nation.
Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 2306 GMT:
Stock indexes daily % YTD %
Latest changechangeMSCI Emerging Markets 1227.940.445.54 MSCI LatAm3069.880.637.86 Brazil Bovespa 80962.65 -0.285.97 Mexico IPC 49942.700.421.19 Chile IPSA5839.370.924.94 Chile IGPA 29318.270.834.78 Argentina MerVal 34049.351.34 13.25 Colombia IGBC11880.740.414.49 Venezuela IBC 2305.57 -0.92 82.53 Currenciesdaily % YTD %
changechange
LatestBrazil real 3.20960.233.36
Mexico peso 18.61500.535.82 Chile peso 604.90.281.61
Colombia peso 2843 -0.164.89Peru sol 3.214 -0.090.72
Argentina peso18.8675 -0.04 -1.42(interbank) Argentina peso19.590.15 -1.84(parallel) (Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Rosalba O'Brien)
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