Argentina’s trade surplus was 1.5 billion dollars in May, compared to 1.71bn a year earlier according to the official stats office Indec, while industrial production in the same month continued to languish, according to the medium estimate of more than 50 banks, economic research firms and universities surveyed by the Central Bank.
Argentine economic activity grew at a steady pace in October but there are signs that growth will cool in the coming months, local consultants Orlando J. Ferreres & Asociados, OJF, said Thursday.
The former head of the Argentine Central Bank, Mario Blejer assured on Wednesday that in the exchange market “tension has been created which will only start to dissolve as and when we minimize the analysis of the subject.”
Argentina’s central bank estimates that the country’s economy will expand 9% in 2011, above the central government forecast of 8.3%, according to the latest quarterly report released this week.
Argentine Vice-president elect and Economy Minister Amado Boudou reiterated Monday that the new rules for foreign currency purchase in effect as of today are aimed towards discovering the “origin” of funds as opposed to the “destination” of the money.
The Argentine government plans to trim its dependence on central bank reserves to pay debt next year after tapping savings to slow depreciation of the Peso, according to its draft 2012 budget.
Argentina's international reserves have been declining for weeks as the central bank tries to stem the peso's slide against the US dollar, but policymakers have signaled that they intend to keep dipping into reserves to prevent an even swifter depreciation.
Argentina's industrial production rose a seasonally adjusted 8% on the year in April, led by an expansion in automobile, metals and chemical output. Manufacturing increased 0.5% in seasonally adjusted terms from March, the national statistics agency, Indec, reported Friday.
Argentina's February monthly economic activity indicator, or EMAE, jumped 8.7% on the year and was up 0.4% on the month, the national statistics agency Indec reported Monday. The EMAE comprises most components of gross domestic product.