The “blue” (a euphemism for the “black market” dollar) pierced the psychological AR$ 1,000 barrier Tuesday and closed the day at AR$ 1.010 after reaching AR$ 1.040 at some point, it was reported in Buenos Aires.
The blue (a euphemism for black market) dollar rose sharply on Monday and closed at AR$ 596, thus reaching a new all-time high ahead of next Sunday's Simultaneous, Mandatory, and Open Primary (PASO) elections, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The gap with the official quotation stood at 110.8%.
President Alberto Fernández's announcement Friday that he would not seek reelection this year triggered the US dollar further up against the Argentine peso, reaching AR$437 / AR$442 (buy/sale) at the “blue” (a euphemism for “black market”) exchange rate. Meanwhile, the official rate stood at AR$217/AR$225 (buy/sale), for a gap of 102.26% between the two quotations.
Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa seems unable to find a way out of the country's current crisis. In this scenario, the blue dollar (a euphemism for black market) rose five more pesos Wednesday to close at AR$ 423 as the Central Bank (BCRA) ended with a negative balance of US$197 million, this bringing a streak of six positive rounds to an end. The country risk remained at 2,474 basis points, according to JP Morgan's index.
Rumors about Economy Minister Sergio Massa's possible resignation, the “blue” (a euphemism for “black market”) US dollar rose again Tuesday against the Argentine peso. President Alberto Fernández was reported to have a name to replace Massa: that of his Chief Advisor Antonio Aracre, who turned in his resignation Tuesday afternoon in a move to appease the markets.
The “blue” (a euphemism for “black market”) dollar closed rose by AR$ 8 and closed at AR$ 408 Monday, reaching a new all-time high, it was reported in Buenos Aires. It had closed at AR$ 400 on Friday. The Argentine Central Bank bought US$ 73 million to add to its dwindled coffers.
The unofficial exchange rate between the local peso and the US dollar most commonly used by Argentines, also referred to as “blue,” Tuesday crossed the iconic AR$ 300, reaching an all-time high.
Argentina's current economic crisis is taking its toll on football. Transactions involving foreign players who were about to be hired by local clubs have been put on hold after local clubs have been rendered unable to have access to the amount of US dollars needed for the deal to go through.
As next Sunday's mid-term elections loom over and the government of President Alberto Fernández seems headed for inevitable defeat, desperate Argentinians turned to the currency black market to convert their volatile pesos into US dollars, thus piercing the psychological AR $ 200 threshold for the first time.
As borders are about to reopen and tourists are expected to pour in, Argentine authorities have devised a mechanism whereby foreigners may exchange currency (US dollars) at a rate closer to the unofficial (“blue”) one.