Buenos Aires Times

United States-China Tensions Add Pressure to Argentina’s Vaca Muerta Investment Strategy

Growing Chinese involvement in Vaca Muerta infrastructure is creating additional diplomatic pressure for Argentina as the Milei government seeks foreign investment while maintaining close political alignment with Washington.

Argentina’s Energy and Mining Boom Diverges From Weak Domestic Consumer Demand

Strong investment and earnings in energy and mining are emerging alongside continued pressure on household purchasing power, with companies such as YPF and Pampa Energía expanding while Mercado Libre reports weaker Argentine consumer act...

Argentina’s Inflation Fight Faces Fresh Test After July Price Acceleration

The July increase in consumer inflation to two point one percent has complicated Argentina’s efforts to sustain disinflation while the government adjusts utility tariffs and reduces transport subsidies.

Vaca Muerta Becomes Increasingly Central to Argentina’s Foreign Exchange Strategy

The fifty-one billion dollar LNG project and more than five billion dollars in first-half energy trade surplus are increasing the importance of Vaca Muerta to Argentina’s efforts to generate foreign exchange, with pipeline and port infra...

Milei Strengthens Regional Conservative Ties at Colombian President’s Inauguration

President Javier Milei traveled to Cali for the inauguration of newly elected Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, reinforcing political ties with conservative leaders and promoting free-market policies in the region.

Southern Cone Countries Advance Regional Electricity Grid Expansion Plan

Energy officials from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia met in Buenos Aires to develop a 2026-2027 plan for expanding cross-border electricity connections, with support from the Inter-American Development Bank.

Argentina’s Tax Revenue Outpaces Inflation in July as Bank Loan Arrears Stabilize

Argentina’s tax collection in July grew slightly faster than inflation, providing additional fiscal room for the government, while commercial banks reported signs of stabilization in consumer loan arrears after months of economic stress.

BYD Expands in Argentina as Electric Vehicle Competition Intensifies

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is rapidly increasing sales in Argentina following import deregulation, adding competitive pressure on established automakers as the country develops its emerging electric vehicle market.

Argentina’s Central Bank Survey Predicts Second Consecutive Quarter of Economic Contraction

The Central Bank of Argentina’s latest Market Expectations Survey projects that the economy contracted for a second consecutive quarter, while analysts expect a slower depreciation of the official peso exchange rate than previously forec...

Aerolíneas Argentinas Set to Pay Corporate Income Tax for First Time as Subsidies Fall

Argentina’s state-owned airline Aerolíneas Argentinas is expected to pay federal corporate income tax for the first time after cost reductions and cuts to government subsidies helped the carrier generate sufficient operating margins.

Argentina’s Senate Approves Property Rights Reform After Executive Concessions on Land Measures

The Argentine Senate has approved the government’s property rights and deregulation framework after opposition lawmakers secured significant changes to provisions covering structural land reform.

Pampa Energía Approves Record Capital Investment After Strong Energy-Sector Earnings

Argentine energy company Pampa Energía has approved the largest infrastructure investment in its history following a period of strong corporate earnings, reflecting increased private-sector spending in the domestic energy market.

United States Raises Concerns Over Chinese Companies Working on Vaca Muerta Infrastructure

The United States ambassador to Argentina has communicated concerns to President Javier Milei’s administration over the growing involvement of Chinese state-linked engineering and technology companies in infrastructure projects around Va...

Neuquén Prepares First International Dollar Bond Since 2017 to Fund Vaca Muerta Infrastructure

Neuquén province has begun investor roadshows for its first United States dollar-denominated bond since 2017, seeking international financing for transport and logistical infrastructure linked to the expanding Vaca Muerta energy sector.

YPF Sells Mendoza Oilfields for Four Hundred Five Million Dollars to Focus on Vaca Muerta

State-backed YPF has sold two mature conventional oilfields in Mendoza for four hundred five million dollars, redirecting capital toward unconventional production in the Vaca Muerta shale basin.

Mercado Libre Reports Strong Global Revenue Growth but Warns of Weak Argentine Consumer Demand

Mercado Libre reported a forty-nine percent year-over-year increase in global net revenue, driven by Brazil and Mexico, while executives said austerity measures continue to weigh on consumer purchasing power and domestic transaction volu...

Argentina’s Poverty Threshold for a Family of Four Rises Above One Point Five Million Pesos

Argentina’s latest poverty threshold shows that an urban family of four now needs more than one million, five hundred sixty-four thousand pesos a month to avoid falling below the poverty line, highlighting continued pressure on household...

Argentina Forecasts Record Nine Billion Dollar Mining Exports as Lithium Investment Expands

The Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies expects mining exports to reach nine billion dollars in 2026, driven by expanding lithium production in the northwest and investment incentives designed to attract long-term multinational projects.

Argentina Plans Central Bank Reform to Ban Direct Treasury Financing

President Javier Milei is advancing legislation to overhaul the Central Bank charter and prohibit the monetary authority from financing the national treasury or purchasing primary government debt, seeking to reinforce monetary independence.

Argentina and Chile Negotiate Energy Integration to Expand Vaca Muerta Gas Exports

Argentina and Chile are negotiating a bilateral energy integration agreement aimed at expanding cross-border pipeline infrastructure and giving Vaca Muerta gas producers greater access to Chilean industrial markets and Pacific export rou...

Argentina’s Energy Trade Surplus Rises Sixty-One Percent to More Than Five Billion Dollars

Argentina recorded an energy trade surplus of five billion, seventy-six million dollars in the first half of 2026, up sixty-one percent from a year earlier as rising Vaca Muerta production strengthens the country’s foreign exchange posit...

Argentina’s July Inflation Accelerates to Two Point One Percent, Challenging Price Stabilization Efforts

Argentina’s INDEC statistics agency reported that monthly consumer inflation rose to two point one percent in July, bringing the increase for 2026 to nineteen point three percent and interrupting the recent downward trend in price growth.

YPF Files Record Fifty-One Billion Dollar Vaca Muerta LNG Project for Investment Incentives

State-backed energy company YPF has applied with Italy’s Eni and Emirati company XRG to bring a fifty-one billion dollar Vaca Muerta liquefied natural gas export project into Argentina’s Large Investment Incentive Regime, with operations...

Stellantis Reassesses South American Manufacturing Strategy as Chinese EV Competition Intensifies

Stellantis is reevaluating its regional technology and manufacturing strategy as aggressively priced Chinese electric vehicles increase competitive pressure across South America. The review puts longer-term investment plans for manufactu...

Lithium Argentina Plans $4.5 Billion Cauchari-Olaroz Expansion With New Partner

Lithium Argentina plans to seek a strategic partner to help finance a $4.5 billion expansion of its Cauchari-Olaroz lithium operation in Jujuy after stabilizing production and reducing cash costs to below $6,000 per ton. The expansion co...

Argentina's Central Bank Survey Sees August Inflation Falling to 1.5 Percent

Argentina's latest Central Bank Market Expectations Survey projects monthly inflation of 1.5 percent in August 2026 and economic growth of 3.4 percent for the year. The forecasts point to continued moderation in consumer price growth alo...

Argentina Central Bank Reserves Rise Above $13.5 Billion as Dollar Purchases Continue

The Central Bank of Argentina bought $57 million in foreign exchange in its largest daily purchase of August, pushing its market accumulation for 2026 above $13.5 billion. The purchases come as the gap between parallel and official excha...

Argentina Expects Up to $50 Billion in Investment Commitments Under New Incentive Regime

Economy Minister Luis Caputo said the government expects the recently legislated Large Investments Incentive Regime to attract as much as $50 billion in foreign and domestic capital commitments. The administration is positioning the prog...

Argentina Raises Vaca Muerta Recoverable Oil Estimate to 30 Billion Barrels

An official study estimates that Vaca Muerta contains about 30 billion barrels of technically recoverable crude oil, an 89 percent increase from the previous estimate. The expansion of the viable drilling area into southern Mendoza and R...

YPF-Led Consortium Submits $51 Billion Argentina LNG Project Under Investment Incentive Regime

State-backed YPF, Italy's Eni and United Arab Emirates-based XRG have formally submitted the Argentina LNG project for inclusion in the Large Investments Incentive Regime, seeking to turn Vaca Muerta shale gas into a major global export ...

Argentina’s Low-Cost Airlines Cut Schedules as Fleet Constraints Cause Disruptions

Ultra-low-cost carriers in Argentina are reducing or canceling portions of their domestic schedules because of fleet constraints, creating temporary operational disruptions as the country’s aviation market undergoes deregulation.

Argentina Considers Broader Biofuels Rules to Boost Soybean Oil and Corn Demand

Government officials are examining changes to biofuels regulations that could potentially double domestic demand for soybean oil and corn, with the aim of attracting investment in regional processing plants and increasing value-added agr...

Argentina’s Agricultural Sector Turns to Precision Technology to Address Soil Nutrient Losses

Researchers and agribusinesses across Argentina’s central agricultural belt are using biological treatments and detailed soil mapping to tackle growing nutrient deficits and protect the long-term productivity of major export crops.

Bahía Blanca Port Nearly Doubles Soybean Shipments to More Than 2.7 Million Tons

Soybean shipments through the Port of Bahía Blanca rose 95% to more than 2.7 million tons during the latest commercial cycle, reflecting improved weather conditions and more efficient grain transport networks in southern Buenos Aires pro...

MasTec Wins $1.2 Billion Contract for Vaca Muerta Gas Pipeline to Support LNG Exports

A consortium led by Pumpco, a subsidiary of US-based MasTec, won a $1.2 billion contract to build a 527-kilometer natural gas pipeline linking the Neuquén basin with the future Sierra Grande export terminal in Río Negro.

Argentina Country Risk Falls to 462 Basis Points as Treasury Debt Auctions Support Markets

Argentina’s sovereign risk premium declined as the Economy Ministry successfully auctioned new peso- and dollar-denominated Treasury bonds, while favorable US inflation data also supported market sentiment.

Argentina Raises Energy and Mining Export Forecast to $51 Billion by 2030

The Central Bank of Argentina has sharply increased its projection for combined energy and mining exports, forecasting they will rise from $13 billion to $51 billion by 2030 as Vaca Muerta shale production expands and the new investment ...

Argentina Evaluates $50 Billion Investment Pipeline Under New Incentive Regime

Economy Minister Luis Caputo said the government is evaluating major corporate investments worth up to $50 billion under the RIGI incentive framework, with projects focused mainly on energy and infrastructure and designed to provide long...

Luxury Hospitality and Premium Retail Rebound in Buenos Aires

High-end real estate projects and luxury commercial leasing are recovering in Buenos Aires’ central financial and historic districts, supported by an influx of corporate executives and strong international tourism.

Northwestern Argentina Provinces Move to Align Lithium Export and Mining Rules

Salta, Jujuy, and Catamarca are coordinating tax and environmental regulations for foreign mining operators in an effort to standardize royalties, accelerate lithium projects, and increase provincial revenues from growing global demand f...

Argentina Approves New Data Center Projects as Digital Infrastructure Investment Accelerates

Regulatory changes and the Large Investments Incentive Regime are helping attract capital for data centers, cloud infrastructure, and fiber-optic networks, strengthening Buenos Aires’ position as a potential regional technology hub.

Camuzzi Secures Six Million Dollars to Complete Gas Compressor Plant in Buenos Aires Province

Gas distributor Camuzzi has secured financing for the Las Armas compressor plant, an investment expected to expand transport capacity across two pipelines and strengthen natural gas supplies to Argentina’s Atlantic coast and surrounding ...

Mortgage Credit Demand Stagnates as High Property Prices Limit Argentine Buyers

Demand for inflation-linked mortgage loans remains weak despite broader bank offerings, with high property prices in Buenos Aires and depressed real wages limiting access to housing for middle-class borrowers.

Argentina’s Knowledge Economy Gains From Strong Global Demand for Tech Services

Software development, artificial intelligence implementation, and professional services are generating billions of dollars in foreign-exchange earnings, strengthening Argentina’s technology sector alongside agriculture and energy as an i...