EMERGING MARKETS-Latam currencies slide as China worries dent risk appetite

The forint's 1.7% slide was triggered by rating agency S&P lowering Hungary's credit rating outlook to negative from stable. S&P said that external risks, including potential cuts to European Union funds and reduced gas flows, could weigh on Hungary's growth prospects, already pressured by surging inflation and a fiscal adjustment to rein in the budget deficit. The forint has slumped more than 7% so far this year, far underperforming other central and eastern European currencies.