Overview

• Banco Nación quoted the dollar at 1,370 pesos on August 26, with the blue dollar near 1,365 and financial rates such as MEP and CCL clustered in the low‑to‑mid 1,300s.
• The wholesale rate closed around 1,356.5 pesos after Monday’s surge, and the average retail quote hovered near 1,377 pesos as trading volumes in the interbank market exceeded US$665 million.
• Market stress was linked to leaked audios and corruption allegations involving former disability agency chief Diego Spagnuolo, which unsettled investors ahead of upcoming elections.
• Argentine assets slumped, with the S&P Merval down roughly 4% in pesos (about 6% in dollars), several ADRs falling up to 10%, dollar bonds lower, and the country risk index rising toward 829 basis points.
• Authorities raised bank reserve requirements and the Treasury prepared Lecaps, dollar‑linked and TAMAR bonds to absorb pesos, while dollar futures implied roughly 1,550–1,555 pesos by year‑end.