Argentine stocks closed slightly higher on Monday on selective buying among leading shares, but trade volume fell to its lowest level in four months due to a US market holiday, traders said.
The MerVal index of 15 leading stocks closed up 0.51 percent to 2,083.39 points, cutting the index's losses since January 1 to 0.34 percent. Volume was a scant 13.7 million pesos ($4.4 million), its weakest level since early September due to the US holiday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.
"With no trade in New York, everything here was very quiet and saw little movement. This is normal," a banking agent said. The MerVal's rise was led by textile maker Alpargatas, which gained 3.2 percent to end at 4.85 pesos, and steelmaker Acindar, whose shares jumped 2.7 percent to 4.65 pesos.