• * Mexico launches mutual fund to attract small investors

Mexico’s government-backed mortgage lender Infonavit said on Monday it is launching a mutual fund of mortgage-backed securities to boost liquidity and help deepen Mexico’s capital markets.

Infonavit, which in recent years started placing mortgage-backed debt to raise financing for further lending, will start off the fund with 200 million pesos ($15.4 million).

The fund will be available through banks and brokerages to Mexicans investing a minimum of 20,000 pesos, Infonavit said.