Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies had unusual price changes in Argentina trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are as of 3:07 p.m. in New York.

The Merval Index fell 5.8 percent to 1,044.64.

Grupo Financiero Galicia SA (GGAL AF) dropped 6 percent to 70.5 centavos, the lowest price in almost six weeks. Latin American banks slid as financial stocks led U.S. declines on concern over losses from the global financial crisis. Galicia is the holding company for Argentina’s biggest private lender.

BBVA Banco Frances SA (FRAN AF), the second-largest private bank, dropped 5.7 percent to 3.46 pesos.

Molinos Rio de la Plata SA (MOLI AF) declined 1.9 percent to 10.1 pesos, erasing yesterday’s gain. Soybeans fell for the first time in a week in Chicago, losing as much as 4.2 percent. Molinos exports soybean oil and other agricultural products.

Siderar SAIC (ERAR AF) fell for a third day, retreating 4.5 percent to 11.75 pesos. The Bloomberg World Iron/Steel Index dropped for the ninth time in 10 days as most industrial metal prices extended losses in London. Siderar is Argentina’s biggest steelmaker.

Tenaris SA (TS AF), the world’s biggest maker of seamless steel tubes for pipelines, fell the most in two months, sliding 7.5 percent to 34.15 pesos. Its main rival Vallourec SA was cut to “underweight” from “equal-weight” at Morgan Stanley.

To contact the reporter on this story: James Attwood in Santiago at jattwood3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 20, 2009 15:34 EST