Overview

• The BCRA sold US$678 million on Friday, bringing three‑day interventions to about US$1.11 billion to hold the wholesale rate at the band ceiling near $1,475.
• The retail dollar at Banco Nación closed around $1,515 while financial rates like MEP and CCL stayed higher than the official, and the blue dollar hovered near $1,520.
• Economy Minister Luis Caputo vowed to “sell until the last dollar” to defend the band and said policy will not change, as the central bank tightened rules on certain financial insiders to curb arbitrage.
• Argentine dollar bonds and equities suffered steep weekly losses and the country risk jumped above 1,400 bp, though some quotes showed a modest rebound on Friday.
• Reported gross reserves stood near US$39.4 billion, fueling debate over sustainability and raising focus on near‑term financing needs, including a US$4.3 billion debt payment due in January.