Mexico's central bank sold US$2 bln in direct dollar sales last week

Mexico's central bank sold US$2 billion dollars through the bank's new discretionary forex intervention program last week to support the sinking peso, data showed on Tuesday.

The move, announced last week, was part of an assault on speculators who have battered the local currency. It included a surprise interest rate hike, budget cuts and the suspension of Banco de Mexico's prior daily auction program.