Buenos Aires Times

Argentina Expands Targeted Transport and Education Subsidies Amid Fiscal Austerity

The federal government authorized subsidies through the national transport card system and increased education funding as it seeks to ease cost pressures in heavily populated urban areas.

Argentina and Regional Partners Expand Open-Skies Aviation Agreements

Argentina joined neighboring South American countries in agreements aimed at reducing regulatory restrictions on regional aviation and expanding passenger and cargo connectivity.

Buenos Aires Startups Draw More Venture Funding for AI, Fintech and Enterprise Software

Regional investors including Kaszek and Wayra are increasing funding for Buenos Aires-based startups focused on artificial intelligence, decentralized finance and enterprise software.

International Banks Approve $900 Million Financing for Argentine Floating LNG Terminal

A consortium of international lenders approved a $900 million project-finance package for a floating liquefied natural gas terminal in Argentina.

Argentina Warned Vaca Muerta Needs Up to $20 Billion in New Export Infrastructure

Energy analysts and officials in Neuquén said Argentina requires between $15 billion and $20 billion in pipeline and port investment to prevent infrastructure constraints from limiting further growth in Vaca Muerta exports.

Argentina Moves to Ratify Mercosur-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

The Chamber of Deputies opened consideration of the Mercosur-Singapore trade agreement, which would expand tariff-free access for Argentine exporters to the Southeast Asian market.

Argentina Forecasts Record Wheat and Corn Harvests in 2026

The Rosario Grains Exchange projected production of 23 million metric tons of wheat and 61 million metric tons of corn, raising expectations for stronger agricultural exports and foreign-currency inflows.

Brazil Downgrades Diplomatic Representation in Argentina Amid Presidential Tensions

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government reduced Brazil’s diplomatic representation in Buenos Aires to the chargé d’affaires level as political tensions between the two governments deepened.

Argentina Signals It Could Pursue Trade Deals Outside Mercosur

Argentine authorities said the country is prepared to seek bilateral free-trade agreements outside Mercosur unless the bloc moves toward lower tariffs, amid growing trade tensions with Brazil.

Argentina Secures Lower-Cost Financing to Cover Upcoming External Debt Payments

Economy Minister Luis Caputo arranged financing through World Bank credit facilities and domestic dollar-denominated bonds to meet billions of dollars in coming external maturities without relying on higher-cost international debt markets.

Vaca Muerta Drives Argentine Oil Output to Record 860,000 Barrels a Day

Argentina’s oil production reached a record 860,000 barrels a day as unconventional output from the Neuquén basin expanded, with analysts forecasting a $13.6 billion energy trade surplus by the end of 2026.

Argentina’s Country Risk Falls to 509 Basis Points as Sovereign Bonds Rally

J.P. Morgan’s country-risk measure for Argentina fell to 509 basis points as Argentine dollar-denominated sovereign bonds gained in international markets.

Argentina Inflation Forecast to Slow to 1.8% in August, Central Bank Survey Shows

The Central Bank of Argentina’s Market Expectations Survey projects monthly inflation of 1.8% in August and annual inflation of around 30% in 2026.

Argentina Approves Nearly $47 Billion in Mining and Energy Investment Projects

The Argentine government approved 21 projects under its Large Investment Incentive Regime, representing nearly $47 billion in planned investment concentrated in lithium, copper and Vaca Muerta energy developments.

YPF, Eni and ADNOC-Backed XRG Submit $51 Billion Vaca Muerta LNG Project

Argentina’s YPF applied to enter the Large Investment Incentive Regime with a $51 billion liquefied natural gas proposal backed by Italy’s Eni and the UAE’s XRG, using floating liquefaction units off the Río Negro coast.

Argentina’s Lower House Backs Central Bank Reform Banning Direct Treasury Financing

Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies gave preliminary approval to legislation barring the Central Bank from directly financing the Treasury and requiring a two-thirds congressional majority to remove bank directors.

Techint Venture Arm Expands Clean Energy Startup Investment in Argentina

Techenergy Ventures is investing in early-stage companies working on carbon capture, green hydrogen and sustainable fuels as the Techint Group broadens its exposure to cleaner energy technologies.

Buenos Aires Venture Capital Firms Increase Fintech and Agtech Investment

Venture capital firms including Kaszek and NXTP are continuing to fund early-stage Argentine fintech, remittance and enterprise software companies, supporting Buenos Aires’ role in the regional startup market.

Pursuit Minerals Advances Argentina Lithium Pilot with Targeted Output of 5,000 Tonnes a Year

Australian miner Pursuit Minerals says its Argentine lithium carbonate project is targeting annual production of 5,000 tonnes, with projected operating costs of about $6,500 per tonne.

Argentina Advances Entry into Global Patent Cooperation Treaty

Argentina’s legislature is processing accession to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Patent Cooperation Treaty, which would streamline international patent filings and strengthen protections for domestic innovators.

Southern Energy Accelerates Rival Vaca Muerta LNG Export Project

The Pan American Energy-backed Southern Energy consortium is advancing floating liquefaction infrastructure and has secured firm export contracts with European utilities as a separate Vaca Muerta LNG development takes shape alongside YPF...

USDA Forecasts Argentine Soybean Production to Rebound to 49 Million Tonnes

The US Department of Agriculture expects Argentina’s soybean output to recover to 49 million metric tons after improved weather and more normal rainfall, supporting prospects for stronger soybean oil and meal exports.

Argentina Considers Broader Asset Regularization Plan to Bring Informal Capital into Financial System

The Chamber of Deputies is reviewing legislation that would remove some asset ceilings and reduce penalties for smaller businesses as the government seeks to draw more of an estimated $170 billion in informal Argentine holdings into the ...

Argentina’s Lower House Debates Electoral Reform Ahead of 2027 Presidential Vote

The governing La Libertad Avanza coalition is advancing proposals covering biometric party registration, private campaign financing and anti-corruption eligibility rules as Argentina prepares for the 2027 presidential election.

Argentine Senate Approves 67 Federal Judicial Appointments

Argentina’s Senate has approved 67 judicial nominations backed by the Justice Ministry, bringing the number of federal appointments under President Javier Milei’s administration to 177.

Argentina Advances Mercosur-Singapore Trade Deal to Expand Asian Market Access

Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies is moving toward ratification of Mercosur’s first trade agreement with a Southeast Asian country, which would lower tariffs on Argentine agro-industrial exports and support investment ties with Singapore.

Lithium Leads Nearly $20 Billion Pipeline Under Argentina’s RIGI Investment Regime

Lithium projects account for the largest share of nearly $20 billion in expected investment commitments under Argentina’s RIGI program, with Salta, Jujuy and Neuquén receiving about 80% of approved capital.

Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru Form Critical Minerals Cooperation Pact

Argentina has joined Chile, Bolivia and Peru in a four-country agreement to coordinate mining investment policies and attract battery manufacturing capital around the region’s lithium and copper resources.

Brazil Downgrades Diplomatic Ties with Argentina After Milei Backs Brazilian Opposition

Brazil has reduced its diplomatic representation in Buenos Aires to chargé d’affaires level after Argentine President Javier Milei participated in campaign events supporting Brazilian opposition leader Flavio Bolsonaro.

Argentina’s Economy Contracts as Restrictive Policy Weighs on Industry

Recent indicators show domestic economic activity and industrial production remaining weak despite lower inflation and greater foreign-exchange stability, leaving the government with a difficult growth challenge.

Argentina Inflation Expectations Fall Below 2% for August

The Central Bank’s market expectations survey forecasts monthly consumer price inflation of 1.8% in August, as fiscal tightening and monetary measures continue to pull inflation expectations lower.

Tecpetrol Commits $6.4 Billion to Expand Vaca Muerta Production

Techint subsidiary Tecpetrol has submitted a $6.4 billion drilling and infrastructure project under Argentina’s RIGI investment regime, targeting peak production of 70,000 barrels a day by the end of the decade.

YPF Seeks Wall Street Financing for $51 Billion Vaca Muerta LNG Project

Argentina’s state-backed energy company YPF is assembling financing for a $51 billion liquefied natural gas project in Vaca Muerta after securing initial syndication for a $900 million pipeline linking shale gas production to export faci...

Argentina Presses Mercosur for Freedom to Negotiate Independent Trade Deals

Argentina is pushing Mercosur to relax restrictions tied to the bloc’s 11.5% common external tariff, warning that Buenos Aires could pursue bilateral free-trade agreements independently if reform efforts remain stalled.

Argentina Says Financing Is Secured for Remaining 2026 Sovereign Debt Maturities

Economy Minister Luis Caputo says Argentina has secured financing exceeding its remaining 2026 refinancing needs by nearly $4 billion through domestic dollar bonds, fiscal surpluses and multilateral disbursements.

Argentina Moves to Bar Central Bank from Directly Financing Treasury

Argentina’s lower house is debating changes to the Central Bank charter that would prohibit primary-market purchases of government bonds and direct financing of fiscal deficits, seeking to place tighter legal limits on monetary financing.

Milei Plans Talks With Chilean Leader José Antonio Kast Amid Strait of Magellan Tensions

Argentine President Javier Milei has scheduled high-level talks with Chilean leader José Antonio Kast following tensions over maritime boundaries and navigation rights in the Strait of Magellan.

Argentine Prosecutors Advance Investigation Into State-Linked Insurance Contracts

Federal prosecutors have stepped up financial assessments in an investigation into insurance brokerage contracts involving state-owned enterprises during former President Alberto Fernández’s administration.

Río Negro Lifts Suspension on Major Gold Mining Project

Authorities in Argentina’s Río Negro province have reversed a longstanding suspension on a major gold project, opening the way for expanded hard-rock mining alongside the region’s growing unconventional energy industry.

Argentina’s Pension System Faces Growing Pressure From Informal Employment

New demographic and fiscal data show increasing reliance on the Universal Pension for the Elderly as widespread unregistered employment leaves more Argentines without sufficient contributions to the conventional pension system.

Argentine Congress Launches Commission to Examine Sovereign Debt

Lawmakers have activated a bicameral commission to review the evolution of Argentina’s sovereign indebtedness, potentially influencing the political debate surrounding future negotiations with multilateral lenders.

Arcor and Danone Inject Capital Into Argentine Dairy Producer La Serenísima

Arcor and Danone have provided new funding to stabilize and modernize La Serenísima, supporting the dairy processor’s operations as weak domestic consumption continues to pressure Argentina’s food industry.

Banco Patagonia Acquires Banco Industrial’s Retail Banking Business

Banco Patagonia has completed its acquisition of Banco Industrial’s retail portfolio as Argentine financial institutions adjust to lower inflation and tighter margins.

Argentina Opens Talks With Peronist Lawmakers on Changing PASO Primary Elections

President Javier Milei’s administration has opened negotiations with moderate Peronist lawmakers over modifying or eliminating Argentina’s mandatory PASO primary system ahead of the next national election.