News of debt talks

Milei vows to ‘keep promises’ after meeting with IMF chief

18-01-2024 01:15 President Javier Milei met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva after his speech to world leaders in Davos; Talks focused on Argentina’s US$44-billion programme and reaction to government’s austerity bid.

IMF DEBT TALKS

Government postpones IMF payments as it seeks new deal

04-01-2024 00:40 While awaiting the arrival of IMF officials for crunch talks over its multi-billion-dollar programme, Argentina’s government wants to unify its January commitments and push them to the end of the month.

by Ramiro Speranza

IMF DEBT

Argentina to pay IMF next week, ‘reformulate’ deal, Caputo says

14-12-2023 19:02 Argentina will pay US$912 million owed to the International Monetary Fund next week, says Economy Minister Luis Caputo.

ELECTION 2023: REACTION

IMF chief looks forward to 'working closely' with Javier Milei

20-11-2023 11:18 Reacting to Javier Milei's election win, Kristalina Georgieva says she looked forward to working with Argentina's president-elect.

ELECTION 2023

As run-off nears, Massa draws a yuan bridge to avoid IMF pressures

14-11-2023 11:28 When an agreement was reached in August, the IMF’s board of directors wanted to distance itself from Argentina’s electoral process, preparing for the next stage of negotiations with the future government. An informal meeting, held after the October 22 elections, has placed in doubt the remittance of US$3.3 billion which the country needs to meet debt deadlines. The Economy Ministry has assembled a safety buffer with the Chinese currency swap, hoping to reach the next harvest in acceptable shape.

by Ariel Maciel

IMF DEBT DEAL

Argentina pays US$2.6 billion maturity to IMF

01-11-2023 21:12 State news agency confirms Argentina's government made US$2.6-billion payment to settle maturity from record International Monetary Fund debt programme.

IMF DEBT

The IMF’s US$43-billion Argentina problem is about to get worse

06-10-2023 17:33 Geopolitics helped keep the credit flowing to Argentina. Even so, at some point the International Monetary Fund — and its biggest shareholder, the United States — might call time.

IMF DEBT PROGRAMME

IMF says Argentina must 'contain' public spending on wages, pensions

25-08-2023 11:36 IMF statement stresses need for Argentina to "contain spending on wages and pensions."

DEBT DISBURSEMENT

IMF approves US$7.5 billion for Argentina despite missed targets

24-08-2023 01:04 Multilateral lender approves massive disbursement, extending a financial lifeline to government ahead of a tight presidential race; Sergio Massa holds talks with Kristalina Georgieva in Washington.

IMF DEBT DEAL

Government gets disbursement lifeline after Fund board approval

23-08-2023 23:02 The board decision completes the fifth and sixth reviews of the programme and enables immediate disbursement of the US$7.5-billion payment, according to an IMF statement.

IMF DEBT PROGRAMME

Massa heads to US for talks with IMF on loans

21-08-2023 08:40 Sergio Massa will travel to the United States on Monday for talks with the International Monetary Fund on the country’s refinancing disbursements amid the peso’s devaluation.

IMF MAKES CONTACT

PASO winner Milei reveals IMF contact, plans meeting

15-08-2023 16:01 International Monetary Fund officials contact libertarian’s team for talks; Last Sunday’s PASO primary winner assures that his people are open to clinching “a more aggressive fiscal programme” with the multilateral lender.

PASO REACTION

Argentina seeks larger IMF disbursement after 18% devaluation

14-08-2023 22:16 Argentina intends to ask the International Monetary Fund to increase a disbursement planned for later this month by an unspecified amount

IMF DEBT DEAL

Argentina gets US$775-million loan from Qatar to repay IMF

04-08-2023 04:38 Argentina is paying the International Monetary Fund with help from Qatar, the latest creative accounting measure by the government intended to honour its debt obligations.

IMF DEBT TALKS

Argentina expects to reach IMF staff-level agreement Friday

17-07-2023 17:18 Officials expect to close a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund by Friday after months of negotiations over the US$44-billion programme.

IMF DEBT TALKS

IMF ‘negotiating intensively’ with Argentina, says spokesperson

13-07-2023 15:02 Argentina and the International Monetary Fund are "working intensively" to reach an agreement over the fifth review of the country’s record credit programme; Economy Ministry officials head to Washington.

ELECTION 2023

Sergio Massa’s Argentina election bid puts IMF staff in a bind

08-07-2023 06:31 As government seeks new deal, October presidential vote looms; Observers worry that generous terms would aid Massa’s campaign.

IMF DEBT

Argentina to unify July IMF debt dues into single payment

06-07-2023 15:22 Economy Ministry officials postpone trip to United States for talks with International Monetary Fund as differences between both parties persist.

IMF DEBT TALKS

Argentine officials push back trip to Washington as IMF talks drag on

05-07-2023 13:03 Key Economy Ministry officials postpone trip to United States for talks with International Monetary Fund as differences between both parties persist.

IMF DEBT DEAL

Government makes IMF loan repayment partly with yuan

01-07-2023 08:36 Short on dollars, President Alberto Fernández's government has made a US$2.7-billion loan repayment to the International Monetary Fund partly using Chinese yuan.

IMF DEBT DEAL

Argentina pays IMF as negotiations to continue in Washington

30-06-2023 21:44 Government makes two payments owed to the International Monetary Fund before a Friday deadline; Senior officials Leonardo Madcur and Gabriel Rubinstein to hold discussions over a new staff-level agreement next week in Washington.

IMF DEBT

Argentina to pay US$2.7 billion as IMF negotiations continue

29-06-2023 18:22 Government set to make payment due in June to the International Monetary Fund. In order to avoid a further dollar haemorrhage, payment will be made in part in Chinese currency, with the rest from unused Special Drawing Rights.

IMF DEBT DEAL

Latin America leaders ask Biden to back Argentina in IMF talks

23-06-2023 00:47 Group of Latin American presidents urge US President Joe Biden to support Argentina in ongoing negotiations over its US$44-billion programme with the IMF.

IMF DEBT DEAL

Argentina asks IMF to postpone payments until end of month

22-06-2023 18:17 Government winks at multilateral lender, looking to smooth payments as negotiations over agreement continue; Economy Ministry sends proposal for unified payment at end of month with expectation of prompt reply.

Debt deal talks

IMF: Argentina facing ‘very complex’ economic situation

08-06-2023 16:50 Spokesperson for International Monetary Fund says multilateral lender is working “very hard” with government in Buenos Aires; Talks with President Alberto Fernández’s administration, which wants up to US$20 billion of disbursements advanced ongoing.

ECONOMIC WOES

Brazil sees Argentina in urgent need of another bailout

30-05-2023 16:30 Lula's economic team considers that Argentina will soon need some sort of additional financial support, though details are not yet finalised.

IMF DEBT TALKS

IMF confirms progress in Argentina programme talks

09-05-2023 10:34 International Monetary Fund spokesperson says talks with Argentina over a reformulation of its record credit programme amid historic drought are “progressing in a constructive manner.”

DEBT PROGRAMME IN DOUBT?

Argentina and IMF go back to drawing board on debt deal

27-04-2023 23:04 As an exchange rate crisis ravages the strength of the peso, spokespeople from the International Monetary Fund and the government confirm that “constructive” talks are underway to redraw terms of Argentina’s US$44.5-billion debt programme.

IMF DEBT PROGRAMME

Kirchnerites ramp up pressure ahead of IMF talks

20-04-2023 18:22 Argentina and the IMF agree to renegotiate US$44-billion programme amid concerns over impact of drought; Interior Minister Eduardo de Pedro slams deal for creating “vicious inflationary circle” and says “everything has to be re-discussed.”

MONETARY POLICY

Central Bank lifts rate to 81% as inflation jumps

20-04-2023 15:58 Argentina's Central Bank raises its benchmark interest rate by 300 basis points to 81% in response to March inflation data.

IMF DEBT PROGRAMME

IMF calls for ‘stronger policy package’ from Argentina

02-04-2023 09:14 International Monetary Fund calls on government to adopt "a stronger policy package" in the face of economic crisis and historic drought.

CENTRAL BANK

Argentina raises key rate to 78% for first time since September

16-03-2023 17:43 Argentina raised its benchmark rate on Thursday for the first time since September after annual inflation surpassed 100%.

IMF DEBT DEAL

Argentina seeks fresh IMF approval – and US$5 billion in funds

21-02-2023 15:58 Top officials head to Washington for talks with IMF over latest quarterly review; Government needs to boost reserves amid strong foreign currency outflows and punishing drought that has wrecked agricultural harvest projections.