Capital flight from Argentina during the third quarter of this year totalled 8.443 billion dollars, almost four times during the same period a year ago, according to the latest report from the country’s central bank.
Argentina’s Economy Minister, Amado Boudou, came on stage again on Tuesday to bring calm to markets Monday’s debut of the very strict measures in the foreign exchange market strongly limiting the purchase of US dollars.
Fitch Ratings has downgraded Argentine oil companies YPF and Pan American Energy foreign (PAE) currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'B+' from 'BB-' and has affirmed their local currency IDR at 'BB'.
Argentina imposed strict rules for operations in US dollars with the purpose to greater control over the foreign exchange market, moderating alterations in daily operations and above all to stop the haemorrhage of greenbacks estimated at 3 billion dollars a month.
The Argentine Central Bank Governor Mercedes Marcó del Pont dismissed the IMF’s warning on the risk of overheating economies in developing countries.
The Argentine Central bank has purchased so far this week 500 million US dollars to ensure that the country’s exporters retain a favourable exchange rate and importers are not that tempted to buy foreign goods.
Central bank president Mercedes Marcó del Pont defended on Friday Argentina’s current economic policies, particularly efforts to address the international crisis arguing that “cooling the economy or letting the currency appreciate only aggravates the crisis”.
Argentina's federal government on Friday said it will pay 2.17 billion US dollars owed to international financial organizations this year with central bank reserves and funds held in the treasury.