AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY Argentina set to double wheat sales to Brazil on rebounding crop Yesterday 21:00 Argentina is poised to more than double its shipments of wheat to Brazil, displacing competitors including Russia in the key global agriculture market.
Presidential handover Argentina stops banks from hoarding dollars ahead of devaluation Yesterday 13:34 Central Bank limits amount of foreign currency the nation’s commercial lenders can hold, in a push to discourage US dollar hoarding ahead of an expected devaluation by president-elect Javier Milei.
ELON CALLING Javier Milei and Elon Musk speak by phone, agree to meet in 2024 06-12-2023 22:01 Argentina’s president-elect speaks with Elon Musk, the owner of X and Tesla, after exchanging messages on social media; US businessman interested in business opportunities related to lithium industry and Starlink.
DEVALUATION FEARS Investors bet on 44% peso devaluation after Milei’s debut 06-12-2023 15:05 Investors are preparing for a 44% devaluation of the country’s official exchange rate after Javier Milei’s inauguration.
NEW GOVERNMENT Milei picks Santiago Bausili to lead Central Bank 06-12-2023 08:03 Argentina’s president-elect Javier Milei picks Santiago Bausili, an ally of incoming economy minister Luis Caputo, to lead the nation’s Central Bank.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Argentina’s poverty rate has risen to 44.7%, says UCA observatory 05-12-2023 23:12 Latest study by UCA’s social debt observatory says that without welfare programmes, poverty would affect 49% of the population; Extreme poverty has risen 9.6%, finds report.
ECONOMY & EXCHANGE RATE Milei minister hints new exchange rate of 650 pesos per greenback 05-12-2023 16:40 Economists react with caution, doubt and criticism to incoming Interior Minister Guillermo Francos’ declaration that peso should be at between 600 and 650 per greenback.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Crunch time for EU-Mercosur trade deal at Rio summit 05-12-2023 09:01 Fate of long-awaited trade deal hangs in the balance this week at key Mercosur summit in Brazil; Meeting was originally supposed to seal agreement, but last-minute bickering puts it in doubt.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Record money-printing: 9.439 billion banknotes in circulation as Fernández leaves office 04-12-2023 18:01 The money moving around "the street" has gone up 80 percent in the last four years. On average there are currently 2,050 banknotes per inhabitant in circulation, none worth more than US$2 each.
President on poverty 'Badly measured' – Fernández questions official poverty rate 04-12-2023 13:53 President Alberto Fernández has questioned the INDEC national statistics bureau, saying he think that Argentina’s official poverty rate is “badly measured.”
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Argentina: Conditions not in place to sign Mercosur-EU deal 04-12-2023 12:09 Argentina’s outgoing government says conditions are not in place to sign long-delayed free-trade agreement between Mercosur and European Union.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Macron concerns derail EU-Mercosur trade agreement yet again 03-12-2023 08:33 EU-Mercosur trade deal receives a serious setback after French President Emmanuel Macron declares environmental concessions obtained by the European bloc fall short of what’s needed.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL EU-Mercosur trade agreement postponed as Milei awaited 02-12-2023 15:03 Major trade deal between the European Union and Latin American economies now unlikely to be signed next week as hoped, as additional commitments will require Javier Milei's approval.
EDITORIAL The beginning of the end? 02-12-2023 10:18 If the popular vote failed to rally to defend acquired rights against Milei’s chainsaw, it is because those rights have been emptied for too many people falling outside the system.
MILEI’S GOVERNMENT Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo returns to fore with unenviable task 30-11-2023 14:54 President-elect Javier Milei confirms that Macri-era finance chief will be tasked with leading Argentina’s economy out of the doldrums and “defusing the bomb that the government is leaving behind.”
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Latin America’s biggest economies see unemployment tick down 30-11-2023 13:42 Unemployment rates in Brazil and Mexico fell in October, as strong labour markets underpin the outperformance of Latin America’s largest economies.
MERCOSUR BLOC EU, South America near deal on elusive Mercosur trade pact 30-11-2023 12:51 European Union and Mercosur are closer than ever to concluding a major free-trade agreement more than two decades in the making, with leaders optimistic they can strike a deal next week.
NEW GoVERNMENT Milei warns of 'stagflation' after picking economy czar 29-11-2023 14:00 Period of stagflation will be unavoidable as the new administration implements the fiscal adjustment needed to organise the economy, warns Javier Milei.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK OECD: Argentina should think about ‘effectiveness of its social spending’ 29-11-2023 12:22 OECD warns Argentina to assess "effectiveness of social spending" as it issues gloomy forecast for economy over next two years.
CABINET APPOINTMENTS Milei confirms Luis Caputo will be economy minister 29-11-2023 08:19 President-elect says in interview upon return from trip to United States that both the Treasury and the IMF "understand Argentina's problems perfectly” and that ex-Macri administration official Luis Caputo will serve as economy minister.
Milei in America Milei makes contact with Biden administration in Washington 28-11-2023 22:52 Argentina's president-elect Javier Milei makes first contact with officials from US President Joe Biden's government.
BUSINESS Globant beefs up creative operations by purchasing ad firm GUT 28-11-2023 11:12 Argentine software firm Globant SA purchased a majority stake in creative agency GUT as it ups its bet on marketing services as a key growth driver.
TRANSITION OF POWER Milei to send ‘shock’ package to Congress on day one 27-11-2023 20:46 President-elect plans to call Congress into an extraordinary session and send a large package of reforms to stabilise Argentina’s economy on December 11, the day after his inauguration.
Luis Caputo profile Luis Caputo: 'Messi of finance' lines up with Milei 26-11-2023 18:05 Despite Javier Milei’s backing, the potential arrival of Luis Caputo to the Econony Ministry has sparked unrest within the ranks of La Libertad Avanza and underlined the influence of Mauricio Macri on Argentina's next government.
As I see it Javier Milei has a steep mountain to climb 25-11-2023 14:25 Is a “change of mentality” taking place? We should soon know the answer to that particular question – much will depend on how people react to the hard times that are barrelling towards us. by James Neilson
ELECTIONS 2023 – ANALYSIS Living in Milei’s world 25-11-2023 14:22 These initial steps are positive in maintaining the situation from blowing up but they are insufficient in and of themselves. Not only would this cordiality and cooperation have to be maintained over time, Milei’s strategy would actually have to work. by Agustino Fontevecchia
EDITORIAL Destination unknown 25-11-2023 13:34 Milei is a man of multiple contradictions too numerous for this space but he is about to face the biggest contradiction of them all – the outsider is days away from going inside.
Living with inflation Shopkeepers struggle to keep pace with soaring prices 25-11-2023 13:08 Annual inflation is already at 143% and prices rose even further after price controls on basic goods were eased.
IN FOCUS Fed-up voters put Latin American leaders on thin ice 25-11-2023 12:43 Across the region, disgruntled voters have repeatedly toppled incumbents, often in favour of outsiders or inexperienced politicians.
IMF DEBT TALKS IMF’s Georgieva, Milei discuss economic challenges in video call 25-11-2023 08:49 Argentina's president-elect Javier Milei and IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva had a first meeting via video call on Friday, in which they discussed the country's economic crisis.
ECONOMIC POLICY Dollarisation is medium-term goal, Luis Caputo tells bankers 24-11-2023 22:06 Luis Caputo, who is leading Javier Milei’s economic team during the transition, tells banking executives in Buenos Aires that currency controls won't be lifted immediately and that dollarisation is a medium-term goal.
TRANSITION OF POWER Argentine banks flee to one-day notes amid government transition 24-11-2023 14:34 Banks are fleeing to short-term notes for even more liquid securities as President-Elect Javier Milei’s vague comments on the debt have stoked concern over how he’ll handle the assets.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY More moderate Milei embraces trading partners he had shunned 24-11-2023 14:31 Signs indicate foul-mouthed libertarian who swept to power with radical promises to fix Argentina’s problems may be adopting a more pragmatic approach, at least in foreign policy, as he prepares to take office.
POLITICS & ECONOMY Wall Street cheers as Milei swaps dollarisation for Macri brass 24-11-2023 13:07 Javier Milei pivots away from advisers advocating for his most dramatic campaign promises, choosing Wall Street veterans closer to Mauricio Macri.
ECONOMIC POLICY Milei says Argentina heading for ‘shock’ fiscal therapy 23-11-2023 18:47 President-elect Milei warns Argentina faces ‘shock adjustment’; Inflation could take 18 to 24 months to calm, says libertarian.
MILEI’S GOVERNMENT Caputo leading Milei’s economic transition team, may be minister 23-11-2023 18:29 Former central bank governor Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo is now leading the economic transition team of President-elect Javier Milei and is now seen as the frontrunner to head the Economy Ministry.
BLOOMBERG Milei taps oil vet to run state energy firm YPF 23-11-2023 14:48 Milei plans to tap Horacio Marín, a 35-year industry veteran who has worked in the US and South America, to become president and chief executive officer of YPF SA.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK Economy sputters toward recession as Milei takes reins 23-11-2023 14:42 Argentina’s economy stalled after an August devaluation of the official peso rate, further llustrating the challenges ahead for the president-elect.
MILEI’S GOVERNMENT Milei says Luis Caputo has expertise to be economy minister 23-11-2023 14:39 President-elect lauds former Central Bank president Luis Caputo, acknowledging he has the expertise to be the next government’s economy minister.
US COURTS Argentina gets delay on payment of US$16.1 billion in YPF case 23-11-2023 13:06 Judge agrees to temporarily delay enforcement of a US$16.1 billion court judgment against Argentina over its 2012 expropriation of oil company YPF.
MARKETS Argentina's stock market react with optimism to Milei election 21-11-2023 16:58 Stock market opens up by around 20% before easing off to gains of about 14% – strong reaction to election of new president-elect.
IMF DEBT PROGRAMME Javier Milei may find an unexpected friend in the IMF 21-11-2023 16:43 What will the relationship be like between Javier Milei and the International Monetary Fund, given the impact of Argentina's ongoing US$44-billion loan agreement?
ECONOMIC INSTABILITY Milei’s dollarisation gets first test as Argentine banks re-open 20-11-2023 21:12 Javier Milei couldn’t have hoped for a better reception from investors on his first day as Argentina’s president-elect.
ELECTION 2023: FALL-OUT Milei says no transition meeting planned as Massa decides to stay on 20-11-2023 18:39 Javier Milei says that "there is no meeting planned" with President Alberto Fernández and says responsibility for period until December 10 inauguration lies with head of state and Sergio Massa, who decides to stay on as economy minister.
AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY Election result gives soymeal traders a new factor to weigh 20-11-2023 17:58 Javier Milei, who takes office December 10, has proposed dropping the peso and dollarising Argentina's economy. Such a move could boost farmer sales of soybeans, since they’d rather be paid in US dollars than a weaker local currency.
PRIVATISATION PLANS Oil driller YPF surges as victorious Milei touts privatisation 20-11-2023 17:46 YPF SA surges following election of Javier Milei, who says he plans to privatise the state-owned oil and gas producer and remove controls stymieing the sector.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Lula to give Milei the cold shoulder, betting he’ll need Brazil 20-11-2023 15:24 President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has decided to put relations between Brazil and Argentina on hold until he has clarity about Javier Milei's plans.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK Argentina’s Milei to face ‘painful recession’ next year, IIF says 20-11-2023 15:07 “A painful recession in 2024 seems inevitable, no matter what policy framework prevails,” warns Institute of International Finance.
MARKETS Wall Street welcomes Milei victory but warns of challenges ahead 20-11-2023 14:29 Analysts and investors welcome the prospect of radical change in Argentina but warn about deep challenges facing Javier Milei.
Election 2023: Fall-out Milei says it could take two years to tame Argentina's inflation 20-11-2023 12:51 President-elect says it will take between 18 and 24 months to bring Argentina's rampant inflation under control as he outlined his plans to reform the economy.