Overview
- Gross international reserves jumped by about USD 596 million to USD 43.610 billion, a record under President Javier Milei, driven by inflows from international organizations, gold revaluation and gains in FX assets such as the yuan.
- The official retail exchange rate held near ARS 1,475, while the informal blue dollar closed around ARS 1,510/1,530 after a roughly ARS 25 daily rise; CCL and MEP hovered near ARS 1,527 and ARS 1,486, leaving modest spreads.
- IMF‑measured net reserves remain deeply negative at roughly USD −15.8 billion, far below the December target and a key constraint for program compliance and market confidence.
- The Economy Ministry said it bought nearly USD 900 million outside the official market to prepare for an external debt service of about USD 4.2–4.3 billion due on January 9.
- The central bank outlined a 2026 program to buy dollars within exchange‑rate bands, and the government expects roughly USD 700 million from hydroelectric privatizations to help bolster near‑term liquidity.