14/07/2026 10:35 - Economia
On July 13, 2026, the Argentine foreign exchange market showed a mixed but generally positive behavior. The official dollar registered a drop for the second consecutive day, settling in a range of 1,505 to 1,510 Argentine pesos (ARS) for sale at the Banco Nación (Argentina's national bank). This decrease wiped out the accumulated increase during July, thanks to the strong actions of the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA, by its Spanish acronym).
Meanwhile, the blue dollar—the informal, parallel exchange rate widely used by locals and tourists—experienced a 15 ARS jump, closing at 1,520 ARS in Buenos Aires and 1,536 ARS in Córdoba. Despite this specific rise, the gap (spread) between the official and informal rates remains controlled and relatively narrow.
Blue Dollar: The unofficial exchange rate for US dollars bought and sold in the parallel market. It fluctuates based on supply, demand, and local economic sentiment.
MEP Dollar: (Mercado Electrónico de Pagos) A legal dollar rate obtained by buying and selling government bonds in the local stock market using Argentine pesos.
CCL Dollar: (Contado Con Liquidación) Similar to MEP, but the operation ends with the funds transferred to a foreign bank account, effectively getting dollars out of the country legally.
| Dollar Type | Rate (ARS) |
|---|---|
| Official (Banco Nación) | $1,505 - $1,510 |
| Blue (Buenos Aires) | $1,520 |
| Blue (Córdoba) | $1,536 |
| MEP (Electronic Payment) | $1,523.44 |
| CCL (Cash Settlement) | $1,573.02 |
| Crypto Dollar | $1,574.64 |
The BCRA has implemented a defensive shield with a firepower of 20 billion US dollars to maintain exchange stability and anchor expectations around the 1,500 ARS mark. This plan includes interventions in futures, sales of dollar-linked bonds, and liquidity management via repos, which has helped deflate pressure on the exchange rate.
The Country Risk—an index measuring the likelihood of a sovereign default—closed the session at 404 points, its lowest level since March 2018. This drop was driven by the national government's payment of 4.2 billion US dollars in debt. The government is also preparing to launch the Bonar 2029 bond for 2 billion US dollars on July 15, 2026.
With inflation projected around 1.8% for June 2026, the carry trade strategy (borrowing in a low-interest currency to invest in higher-yielding assets) is once again attractive to investors. Interest rates for fixed-term deposits in pesos range between 16% and 19.5% TNA (Annual Nominal Rate), offering a positive real yield against a cooling inflationary scenario.
The official financial plan projects covering 24.9 billion US dollars for the year 2027, consolidating a debt-reduction and macroeconomic stabilization strategy that has generated enthusiasm in international markets.
Source: Imago News
Alfredo S. Quiroga
