22/07/2026 19:37 - Economia
Wednesday, July 22, 2026, brought a breath of fresh air to the Argentine economy. The day was marked by an optimistic climate in financial markets following the news that the risk rating agency Moody's upgraded the country's sovereign debt rating from Caa1 to B3 with a positive outlook.
This milestone aligns the 'Big Three' rating agencies (Moody's, S&P, and Fitch) at a B- rating for the first time in over a decade. This generated a boost for Argentine stocks on Wall Street, which traded higher with increases of up to 7%.
The country risk index, prepared by JP Morgan, reflected this renewed confidence by dropping to 410 basis points, approaching the psychological barrier of 400. Even the Deputy Minister of Economy, José Luis Daza, mentioned that 'green shoots' are beginning to appear in the national economy, a sign that stabilization policies might be bearing fruit.
| Official (Sale) | $1.505 |
| Blue Dollar BA (Sale) | $1.555 |
| Blue Dollar Córdoba (Sale) | $1.571 |
| MEP Dollar | $1.513,70 |
| Contado con Liqui (CCL) | $1.572,85 |
| Card Dollar (Tarjeta) | $1.956,50 |
| Crypto (USDT) | $1.550,57 |
| Country Risk | 410 pts |
For a foreigner, navigating Argentina's currency market can be complex. The official dollar is the currency strictly controlled by the Central Bank, which closed at $1.505 for sale at Banco Nación (the largest state-owned bank). On the other hand, the blue dollar (or parallel dollar) is the informal exchange rate traded on the street. It rose $10 compared to Tuesday and closed at $1.555 in Buenos Aires, while in the province of Córdoba it reached $1.571.
In the financial sector, there are exchange rates known as 'financial dollars.' The MEP Dollar (Mercado Electrónico de Pagos) is obtained by buying bonds in pesos and selling them locally for dollars, closing at $1.513,70. The Contado con Liquidación (CCL), which involves selling the bonds abroad, quoted at $1.572,85. Both operate digitally and legally through home banking or brokerage accounts, offering alternatives for those who need foreign currency legally.
The macroeconomic panorama also shows signs of cooling prices. According to INDEC (the National Institute of Statistics and Census of Argentina), June's inflation was 1.9%, accumulating 16.8% in the first half of the year. However, the Monthly Estimator of Economic Activity (EMAE) showed a drop of 0.5% in May, although with a slight year-on-year improvement of 0.2%, driven by the energy and agricultural sectors.
Sources: La Nación, Clarín, La Voz, TyC Sports.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
