495 per dollar at the central bank's close

The peso currency MXNMEX01 gained 2.04 percent to13.495 per dollar at the central bank's close. Increased expectations of interest rate cuts by majorcentral banks around the globe also supported hopes of aforeseeable bottom to the global downturn. "Markets are priced for the worst-case scenario and nowthis might not happen," Diez said. The peso lost 21 percent in 2008 as investors dumpedemerging market assets on worries about the global creditcrisis. In debt trading, the yield on the government's benchmark10-year peso bond MX10YTRR fell 16 basis points to 7.69percent, its lowest level since last April, before a spike ininflation pushed the central bank to tighten borrowing costs. With the global slowdown cooling commodity prices, analystsexpect Mexico's central bank soon could begin to relax its keyinterest rate from 8.25 percent to boost the slowing economy.

TD Securities analyst Beat Siegenthaler expects Mexico toslash borrowing costs to 6.5 percent this year, with the first25-basis point cut coming at the end of next week. The benchmark IPC stock index .MXX ended down 0.05percent at 23,232.86 points, compared with steeper losses inthe United States, where investors took profits after stronggains last week. The IPC last week closed out its worst year in a decade,with an annual drop of more than 24 percent. On Monday, shares in Carso Telecom (TELECOMA1.MX), theholding company used by billionaire Carlos Slim to controlfixed-line telephone giant Telmex (TELMEXL.MX)(TMX.N), lost 4.8percent to 54.16 pesos.

Offsetting those losses, shares in America Movil (AMXL.MX),Latin America's biggest cell phone operator, gained 4.33percent to 22.90 pesos while its stock on Wall Street (AMX.N)jumped 7.09 percent to $34.12. (Reporting Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Leslie Adler) Stocks Currencies Bonds. Best Western International Rewards Guests With up to Quadruple Points forWinter TravelWinter Promotion Kicks off Year-Round Offers to Reward TravelersPHOENIX, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Best Western International, The World'sLargest Hotel Chain(R), is offering guests who pay with their MasterCard(R)card the chance to earn double, triple and even quadruple the rewards on theirwinter travel. This generous offer makes it possible for Best WesternRewards(SM) program members to earn the equivalent of two free room nightsafter staying just four nights during the promotion!(Logo: http://)From January 1 through February 14, members of Best Western Rewards (formerlyGold Crown Club International) earn double points when they stay two nights,triple points when they stay three nights and quadruple points when they stayfour nights during the promotional period.Nights do not have to beconsecutive, but Rewards members must pay with a MasterCard card to receivebonus points.The winter promotion is the first in Best Western's yearlong campaign ofgenerous promotions and offers."Times are tough, so Best Western is giving our loyal customers greater valueand extra rewards," said Dorothy Dowling, Best Western's senior vice presidentof marketing and sales."We plan to offer our guests a promotion every day of2009 to help them earn more rewards and faster rewards during a time when itmatters most."To be eligible, guests must register for the promotion at, reside in North America, South America, China orAsia and be members of Best Western Rewards.Individuals who are not alreadymembers may join the program prior to or during their first stay.Membershipis free.Best Western Rewards is one of the hotel industry's most generous rewardsprograms and one of few that is truly international.