Argentine bond prices fell to record lows on Monday and the official and black-market pesos diverged after the country imposed capital controls in a bid to stem a currency rout that is sharpening the risk of default.
The leader of the Argentine opposition and favorite to become the next president in October's election is currently spending time in Spain and Portugal where he has an academic, political and rest and recover agenda, which begins this Tuesday at the Camilo Cela José University with a conference on politics and voters, a perspective from the electoral campaigns.
The International Monetary Fund said it will stand by Argentina after the government authorized currency controls on Sunday in an about-face by President Mauricio Macri, who had previously lifted many protectionist practices of his predecessor, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
Argentina’s battered bonds were driven still lower on Friday after a credit rating cut from Standard & Poor’s triggered automatic selling mechanisms at big pension funds. Risk spreads blew out to levels not seen since 2005 while the local peso currency extended its year-to-date slide to 36%, forcing renewed central bank market intervention and intensifying worries about Argentina’s ability to honor its dollar-denominated debt.
The man widely expected to become Argentina’s next president asked farmers from the country’s key grains sector on Thursday to put aside their bitter differences with the government of his running mate, former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, and move forward with him.
Argentina will negotiate with holders of its sovereign bonds and the International Monetary Fund to extend the maturities of its debt obligations, as a way of ensuring the country's ability to pay, Treasury Minister Hernan Lacunza said on Wednesday.
Argentina’s peso was battered on Wednesday as the central bank sold US$ 367 million of its dollar reserves in a second consecutive day of heavy intervention aimed at controlling the currency’s fall. Likewise the country risk rose 135 basis points to 2,125, its highest in 14 years, before partially recovering, according to the JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Plus.
The International Monetary Fund is analyzing the impact of a new debt plan announced by Argentina’s Treasury Ministry on Wednesday, an IMF spokesman said. IMF staff understands that Argentina has taken “important steps” to address liquidity needs and safeguard reserves, the statement by IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said.
Argentine President Mauricio Macri said that monthly inflation would accelerate to 3% in August following a slump in the peso, as the central bank intervened heavily in the market on Tuesday to prop up the local currency.
Argentina's opposition candidate Alberto Fernandez told mining companies and governors from key mining provinces on Monday that exports were the only solution for Argentina, his coalition said.