{
  "id": 19446,
  "title": "Argentina snaps dollar-buying streak day after IMF hailed policy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/29/argentina-snaps-dollar-buying-streak-day-after-imf-hailed-policy",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-07-29T13:57:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Times",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-times",
    "url": "https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/economy/argentina-snaps-dollar-buying-streak-day-after-imf-hailed-policy.phtml"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Argentina’s Central Bank halted a seven-month trend of buying dollars, one day after the International Monetary Fund praised the nation’s officials for increasing foreign currency reserves. For the first time since January 2, the monetary authority refrained from purchasing greenbacks in Argentina’s official currency market on Tuesday. Thus far in 2025, the Central Bank has spent an average of US$97 million daily on foreign currencies, bringing total reserves to US$48.9 billion—close to the highest level since 2019. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva urged Central Bank Governor Santiago Bausili to maintain the buying spree during a press conference in Buenos Aires on Monday. She met with President Javier Milei, signaling a potential improvement in relations between the IMF and Argentina, which owes the Fund US$57 billion. The Central Bank has bought approximately US$13 billion since the year's beginning, surpassing its program's target with the IMF, according to Georgieva. State-owned Banco Nación engaged in the spot market on Tuesday, selling dollars to bolster the peso near 1,500 per dollar, as per people with direct knowledge of the situation. Traders suggested that the peso's pressure might stem from an upcoming government dollar-linked bond repayment, with investors aiming to drive the peso down to maximize its payout. The currency dipped less than 0.1 percent to 1,498 per US dollar. A recent survey revealed that Argentine confidence in Milei’s administration plummeted to its lowest point since he assumed office. Dollar demand from Argentine savers has been a significant factor in peso pressure since the start of the year. Residents have been purchasing an average of about US$2 billion monthly in foreign-currency banknotes, according to Central Bank data. Nevertheless, the peso has only declined by 3.2 percent against the dollar in 2025, considerably less than inflation after experiencing steep losses for years.",
  "summary": "Monetary authority didn’t buy greenbacks in Argentina’s currency market on Tuesday for the first time since January 2. Leer más",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}