Overview
- The informal 'dólar blue' climbed to a nominal high of 1,555 pesos, a level reached in trading on July 22 and equal to roughly a 5% premium versus the official wholesale rate.
- The Banco Central de la República Argentina continued its buying streak with a reported USD 25 million purchase that extended a 132‑day run of net dollar purchases and lifted reserves above USD 49 billion.
- Market‑based alternative rates trade well above the official market: MEP around 1,509–1,514, CCL about 1,571–1,573, crypto‑linked quotes near 1,576–1,580 and the taxed 'dólar tarjeta' near 1,956, reinforcing arbitrage incentives between channels.
- External factors are influencing flows as investors react to heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz after comments by President Donald Trump and to the third round of T‑MEC talks between Mexico and the United States, with Mexico’s peso and Peru’s sol trading near recent ranges.
- Policy context matters: the BCRA has accumulated about USD 12.7 billion this year under its purchase program, the official floating band ceiling remains set at 1,833.77 pesos, and the persistence of spreads is keeping cash‑based informal markets attractive for savers and exporters.