News of economy

Senate receives new ‘anti-gambling addiction’ bill

Yesterday 10:49 Milei government’s proposal would restrict minors’ access to betting sites; Bill permits limited advertising for platforms, unlike the opposition-backed bill approved in 2024.

Jorge García Cuerva, Arbishop of Buenos Aires.

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Archbishop of Buenos Aires warns Argentina faces ‘social breakdown’

25-05-2026 16:01 Church leader urges dialogue and consensus in annual ‘Te Deum’ service as tensions grow over austerity, unemployment and political polarisation under Milei administration.

This view shows snow-covered peaks of the Andes mountain range with a road built for mineral exploration in Calingasta, San Juan province, Argentina, on April 22, 2026.

MINING & ENVIRONMENT

High in the Andes, Milei pushes Argentina’s copper revolution

23-05-2026 15:21 Argentina is accelerating copper extraction under President Javier Milei as investors pour in and fears grow over glaciers and water supplies.

AS I SEE IT

Human capital getting sidelined

23-05-2026 05:53 As has happened time and time again, the discrepancy between what seemed to be quite reasonable hopes and a dispiriting reality has bred discontent among the “overeducated and underemployed.”

by James Neilson

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Deep into the era of the algorithm

23-05-2026 05:51 Artificial Intelligence has turbo-charged an era of exponential change and cycles of innovation are now occurring in spans of months, even weeks. There’s a new generation of tech oligarchs that came with it.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

EDITORIAL

Political waters

23-05-2026 05:47 The gratuitous political contamination of what should be a purely technical issue may bring needless complications.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Underneath it all

23-05-2026 05:32 The shift of wealth and population from the Greater Buenos Aires industrial belt to inland mining, farming, oil and gas is only now starting to be visible. Not all provinces are blessed with such natural resources, which could lead to new disparities arising alongside the old.

by Michael Soltys

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: May 15 to 22

22-05-2026 18:57 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

A wheat field, on the left, in Buenos Aires Province on November 28.

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Milei announces cut in export duties for wheat, barley, soy

22-05-2026 17:26 Wheat and barley export duties will fall from 7.5 percent to 5.5 percent starting in June, soy reductions from January onwards; President tells agro-business leaders that he will reduce export duties to zero by 2028 – if he wins re-election next year.

CHAINSAW HITS DEFENCE

Lack of funds, low-paid soldiers leaves Armed Forces at a crossroads

22-05-2026 15:25 Latest round of public spending hits Defence Ministry; Argentina’s Army, Navy and Air Force are all stretched to the limit in operational terms; Underfunded and debt-ridden healthcare schemes, with those in uniform paid below the poverty line.

Kristalina Georgieva, chief executive officer of the World Bank Group, speaks at a briefing at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

IMF approves about US$1bn disbursement for Argentina in fresh win for Milei

22-05-2026 14:43 Executive board approved the funds after IMF staff finished the second review of Argentina’s US$20-billion debt deal.

President Javier Milei, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Economy Minister Luis Caputo.

IMF PROGRAMME

IMF board signs off on Argentina's latest review

22-05-2026 14:27 International Monetary Fund’s executive board signs-off on latest quarterly review and waivers; Imminent US$1-billion disbursement in fresh funds.

Lionel Messi alongside Jorge Mas at an away fixture.

FOOTBALL'S RICH LIST

Messi joins Cristiano Ronaldo in billionaire football ranks after US deals

22-05-2026 14:24 Lionel Messi's net worth has surpassed the US$1 billion-mark, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

BONDS & MARKETS

Only in Argentina: Junk-rated bonds yield less than US treasuries

22-05-2026 14:10 Byzantine financial rules, like restrictions on lending and moving money overseas, are still creating distortions in Argentina’s capital markets.

The Central Bank of Argentina in Buenos Aires.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS

Argentina in talks to extend repo maturities beyond election

22-05-2026 13:52 President Javier Milei’s government is in talks with banks to collapse the three repos it negotiated since 2025 into a single one worth at least US$5 billion due in 2028 or later.

Eyal Sela, Israel's Ambassador to Argentina.

Interview

Ambassador hails ‘best moment’ in Israeli-Argentine bilateral relations

22-05-2026 05:00 Israel’s Ambassador to Argentina praises Milei government’s decision to declare Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist group and expel Tehran’s top diplomat in Argentina. Eyal Sela tackles the criticisms of the war in the Middle East head-on and addresses the controversy surrounding the involvement of Israeli oil company Navitas in oil exploration near the Malvinas.

by Cecilia Degl'Innocenti

US Secretary Marco Rubio and Argentina's Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno pose for photographers shaking hands prior to their meeting at the US State Department on November 13, 2025 in Washington DC.

Dredging bid row

Milei’s US$10-bn waterway tender in Washington spotlight

21-05-2026 18:41 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressured by lawmaker over pivotal waterway tender in Argentina.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Economic activity rebounds: March data shows 3.5% jump

21-05-2026 16:57 Economic activity rebounded in March, increasing above analysts’ expectations; INDEC reports 3.5% growth from previous month, 5.5% improvement in annual comparison.

Shoppers in the Mercado de San Telmo in Buenos Aires.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Eonomy picked up much more than expected in March

21-05-2026 16:46 Argentina’s economy rebounded much more than expected in March after a sharp slump in February.

La Libertad Avanza national deputy Bertie Benegas Lynch, pictured during the 'Ley Hojarasca' debate in Congress.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei government secures lower house passage of 'Ley Hojarasca' deregulation law

21-05-2026 16:05 Deregulation bill received 138 votes in favour with 96 against and nine abstentions. It now heads to the Senate, where the government is seeking final approval.

The Central Bank of Argentina in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY

Argentina’s surge in foreign reserves risks reigniting inflation

21-05-2026 14:33 The Milei administration's biggest policy achievement has been the taming of hyperinflation and the last thing officials want to see is for prices to start soaring again.

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz gestures as he speaks during a press conference at Palacio Quemado in La Paz on May 20, 2026.

POLITICS IN BOLIVIA

Embattled Bolivia leader Paz promises 'to listen' to protesters

21-05-2026 12:00 Bolivians began demonstrating and erecting roadblocks three weeks ago to demand salary increases, stable fuel supplies and measures to mitigate the worst economic crisis in 40 years.

UNUSUAL TENDER

Army barters quince for pick-up truck parts

20-05-2026 23:52 Bizarre tender emerges amid budget restrictions imposed by President Javier Milei's government.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Argentina's exports surge, trade surplus topped US$2.7 billion in April

20-05-2026 23:25 INDEC national statistics bureau releases latest trade figures, showing exports rose more than 33 percent to surpass US$8.9 billion last month.

A ship on the Paraná River near the Port of Greater Rosario in Rosario, Argentina, in September 2025.

Dredging bid row

KKR consortium warns White House of ‘bias’ in US$10bn Argentina auction

19-05-2026 21:30 A consortium of dredging companies backed by KKR & Co complains to Trump administration, alleging in unfair conditions in bidding process for pivotal contract in Argentina.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Empty shopfronts on rise in Buenos Aires as retail crisis deepens

19-05-2026 21:17 CAC chamber group reveals sharp increase in commercial properties available for rent in nation’s capital; Survey finds surge in rental listings and shuttered premises across City’s main shopping districts.

President Javier Milei, pictured with some of Argentina's governors and official representatives.

POLITICS

La Libertad Avanza sizes up provincial agreements for 2027 election

19-05-2026 14:28 Preliminary plans and talks are underway as President Javier Milei’s party seeks to secure its regional allies across all of Argentina’s provinces; Government sources say definitions will be made after the World Cup, but the first bridges are already being built.

Javier Milei, Argentina's president, and Luis Caputo, Argentina's economy minister, embrace during an opening session at the National Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Interview

Luis Caputo predicts ‘Milei will win 2027 election by landslide in first round’

19-05-2026 11:05 Economy Minister Luis Caputo says President Javier Milei “will win the 2027 election by a landslide in the first round.”

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Vaca Muerta promises flood of dollars, insuring next president against any currency crisis

19-05-2026 10:28 Between the export boom of Vaca Muerta and annual agricultural contributions, an unprecedented amount of hard currency could be entering Argentina as from 2027. The next government would have, for the first time in many years, sufficient support to avoid runs on the currency and hyperinflation.

by Carlos Burgueño

Riot police officers remove rocks from a road blocked by rural protesters in Lipari, La Paz department, Bolivia, on May 16.

Unrest in Bolivia

Latin American nations amp up their concerns over Bolivia unrest

18-05-2026 07:43 Latin American nations express growing concerns over shortages of crucial goods in Bolivia as unrest grips the country.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Jonathan Taplin: AI revolution could lead to massive unrest or depression-style crash

16-05-2026 11:00 An intellectual with a past in the arts, the media industry and banking, writer and thinker Jonathan Taplin is worried about the future of society in the context of the so-called ‘AI revolution.’ He believes Silicon Valley elites are precipitating the worst outcomes.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

A YPF storage terminal in Ushuaia, Argentina.

INVESTMENT & ENERGY

YPF seeks incentive programme for US$25-billion oil project

16-05-2026 10:43 YPF announces US$25-billion project to accelerate oil production – the largest investment since President Javier Milei took office.

Editorial

Reiterated Infrastructural Gaps Ignored

16-05-2026 06:51 Both the quantity and quality of Argentina’s public universities are up for discussion – a right which the government would earn if they were ready to pump more funds into areas which could fuel progress instead of just blindly cutting.

The end of inflation in Argentina – or of Javier Milei?

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Inflation as a false friend

16-05-2026 05:59 Inflation is rightly seen as the most malign tumour which can hit an economy but another way of expressing that might be to say that it grows on you like cancer.

by Michael Soltys

ANALYSING ARGENTINA

Does Milei want a second term?

16-05-2026 05:57 The good news is that the vote for his re-election is still 17 months away; the bad news is that, at this rate, he might not win.

by Marcelo J. García

THE WEEK IN REIVEW

Stories that caught our eye: May 8 to 15

15-05-2026 20:13 A selection of stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Deregulation and State Transformation Minister Federico Sturzenegger.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

Sturzenegger presses ahead with his war against ANMAT drug regulator

15-05-2026 10:33 Argentina’s deregulation and state transformation minister is locked in a conflict with oversight bodies. Among his main targets: the ANMAT food and drug regulatory agency.

POLITICS

Adorni projects business as usual – but the allegations keep coming

14-05-2026 21:00 Under-pressure Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni retains the backing of Javier and Karina Milei and is trying to return to his normal agenda. But revelations about his spending – and that of his relatives – continue to drip out.

INVESTMENT

Milei approves RIGI incentives for lithium mine expansion with China ties

14-05-2026 17:22 Milei’s government clears joint venture led by China’s Ganfeng Lithium Group to invest US$1.24 billion in an expansion of its mine in the province of Jujuy along with partners Lithium Argentina AG, which has US-listed shares, and state-owned JEMSE.

Shoppers browse produce at a grocery store in Buenos Aires.

ANALYSIS

Inflation slowed in April for first time in 11 months

14-05-2026 16:54 Transport saw the biggest price increases with 4.4% on higher fuel costs, followed by education.

IMF DEBT PROGRAMME

IMF to vote next week on Argentina’s review to unlock US$1 billion

14-05-2026 16:33 International Monetary Fund Board to approve latest quarterly review with Argentina next week, allowing the release of US$1 billion in fresh funds.

Meat in a refrigerated display case at a butcher shop in Rosario, Argentina, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. Renowned ranching nation Argentina is importing beef as President Javier Milei's currency and trade policies make it more affordable to source supplies abroad while local prices remain high. Photographer:

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Relief for Milei as inflation slows for first time in 11 months

14-05-2026 16:11 Run of negative headlines for Milei broken by INDEC data; Consumer prices rose 2.6% last month, a drop of 0.8 points from March, reveals bureau; Inflation now 32.4% over the last 12 months, CPI up 12.3% so far this year.

Aerial view of Ushuaia harbour in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, on May 13, 2026.

HEALTH & SOCIETY

Scientists head south for hantavirus fact-finding probe

14-05-2026 15:05 Experts to investigate whether there is hantavirus circulating in Ushuaia from next week; Results expected in four weeks.

International Monetary Fund spokesperson Julie Kozack.

IMF DEBT PROGRAMME

IMF says it will approve review of Argentina’s programme next week

14-05-2026 14:12 IMF board to meet next week; Decision will unlock a disbursement of US$1 billion.

The Ualá app on a smartphone in Buenos Aires. Argentine fintech firm received a US$197-million capital injection in March after delinquency reached nearly 40 percent.

ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY

Soaring household defaults rock Argentina’s banks and fintechs

14-05-2026 11:24 A sharp rise in household delinquencies is shaking Argentina’s banks and fintech firm.

This handout picture released by Argentina's Health Ministry shows a scientist from the Malbrán Institute holding a container used to diagnose the Andes hantavirus, which contains RNA from the Andes virus as part of the detection process, in Buenos Aires on May 6, 2026. Argentina has seen an increase in hantavirus cases but not an outbreak, an expert told AFP on May 6, as infections aboard a cruise ship have provoked a global health scare. The MV Hondius set sail from Ushuaia in southern Argentina on April 1 and is currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde after three passengers died, possibly of hantavirus.

HANTAVIRUS HEALTH SCARE

Health body investigating hantavirus hit by fresh Milei budget cuts

14-05-2026 00:23 President Javier Milei’s government has reduced funding for the ANLIS-Malbrán Institute, the epidemiological body tasked with investigating whether hantavirus is present in Argentina.

Figures from the Milei government corruption cases, including Javier Milei, Karina Milei, Diego Spapnuolo, Manuel Adorni, Bettina Angeletti, Demian Reidel, Mauricio Grandio.

POLITICS, COURTS & CORRUPTION

Comodoro Py smells blood, activates Milei government corruption cases

13-05-2026 13:27 Five high-profile cases progressing within the Comodoro Py federal courthouse in Retiro compromise members of the national government – those most concerning the Milei government are ‘$LIBRA’ cryptocurrency scam and allegations related to the ANDIS national disability agency.

by Barbara Komarovsky

Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin and his Argentine counterpart Pablo Quirno meet in Montevideo.

ECONOMY & FOREIGN POLICY

Uruguay, Argentina seek compromise on hydrogen plant

13-05-2026 10:49 Montevideo and Buenos Aires advance talks over proposed US$5-billion green hydrogen plant on shared border river; Uruguay prepared to consider alternative locations after environmental concerns, Milei government open to agreement.

This aerial view shows university students and workers marching as they take part in a protest at Plaza de Mayo against the Javier Milei government's policies in Buenos Aires on May 12, 2026.

Marcha Federal Universitaria

Tens of thousands demonstrate against Milei cuts to university budgets

12-05-2026 21:48 Fourth ‘Marcha Federal Universitaria’ draws large crowd in capital, rallies in several cities nationwide; Protesters slam cutbacks to sector as MIlei government announces further reductions are on the way.

UFOs & Extraterrestrials

Bariloche sighting cited in newly released Pentagon files on UFOs

11-05-2026 15:52 Newly released Pentagon documents include a reference to one of Argentina’s most famous alleged UFO encounters: a July 31, 1995 incident involving an Aerolíneas Argentinas plane approaching San Carlos de Bariloche.

DEBT & MARKETS

Argentina upgrade seen opening narrow window for debt sale

11-05-2026 13:02 Fitch Rating’s decision to raise Argentina's credit score is fuelling bets that the country will get another shot at tapping international markets.

Images from 'Barrio Chino' in Buenos Aires.

TOURISM & CITY

From refuge to destination: How ‘Barrio Chino’ found its place in Buenos Aires

09-05-2026 14:45 From 28 families meeting to watch films to a capital city landmark, Barrio Chino’s rapid transformation reflects a deeper cultural journey. With the help of local Carlos Lin, a walk through 42 years of history, learning a tale of migration, identity and cultural reinvention.

by Patricia Daniele

A worker of the Argentine National Meteorological Service (SMN) checks the instrument shelter at the observation field of the meteorological station, next to the Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport, in Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina on May 6, 2026.

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE

Meteorologists warn lay-offs affecting timely weather alerts

09-05-2026 12:30 Employees and scientists at the National Meteorological Service denounce “hollowing out” of agency, which they puts at risk the supply of accurate climatological data.

Cabinet ministers arrive at the Casa Rosada ahead of a meeting.

Politics

Milei siblings close ranks around Adorni at Cabinet meeting

09-05-2026 08:45 President Javier Milei publicly backs top aide Manuel Adorni during tense Cabinet meeting overshadowed by allegations over his wealth and assets; Backing comes after Security Minister Patricia Bullrich spoke up, increasing pressure on Cabinet chief to disclose info about his finances.

ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY

Economists cast doubt on Milei’s green shoots in weary Argentina

09-05-2026 08:41 Experts worry that President Javier Milei's government is painting an optimistic picture of the economy that is not yet backed by data.

EDITORIAL

Taking liberties with liberty

09-05-2026 06:37 How long can we continue to take this government’s self-identification as libertarian seriously?

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Europa and the bullies

09-05-2026 06:00 This month finally sees a massive free-trade agreement covering some 700 million people come provisionally into being – deserving that description because it eliminates tariffs on 91 percent of EU goods while opening European markets to South American farm produce.

by Michael Soltys

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Adorni is Milei’s true ‘hero’

09-05-2026 05:45 The series of faults and crimes Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni has been accused of fall under many categories of behaviour President Javier Milei admires.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Agriculture

Argentina soyoil trades at decade low to US on harvest, biofuels

08-05-2026 18:12 Argentine farmers are collecting a bumper soybean crop forecast to be 48.6 million metric tons, according to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange.

This handout picture released by Argentina's Health Ministry shows a scientist from the Malbran Institute handling containers used to diagnose the Andes hantavirus, which contain RNA from the Andes virus as part of the detection process, in Buenos Aires on May 6, 2026.

THE WEEK IN REIVEW

Stories that caught our eye: May 1 to 8

08-05-2026 16:57 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

STREAMING GIANT'S PLANS

How Netflix is rewriting Argentina’s screen industry

08-05-2026 15:45 From De la Serna and Suar to Darín and ‘Dibu’ Martínez, national productions are gaining ground on the platform.

by Mariano Casas Di Nardo

President Javier Milei appears at the Milken Institute.

PRESIDENT IN UNITED STATES

Milei to investors: ‘American dream is being reborn in US and Argentina’

07-05-2026 00:45 President tells Milken Institute conference the "American dream" is being reborn under his government and to "bet on Argentina."

BILLIONAIRE BOSS STEPS DOWN

Paolo Rocca steps down as Tenaris chief after tensions with Milei

06-05-2026 23:16 Tenaris confirms that veteran Italo-Argentine billionaire will be replaced by Gabriel Podskubka, the current chief operating officer (COO), at helm; Rocca to remain chairman, move comes after tensions with President Milei.

US President Donald Trump and Argentina's President Javier Milei pose for a photo at the beginning of the 'Shield of the Americas' Summit at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida, March 7, 2026.

US-ARGENTINA RELATIONS

Trump gives Milei another boost, ups Argentina’s IP rating

06-05-2026 22:53 United States government improves Argentina’s ratings for the protection of and respect for intellectual property rights for first time in three decades.

Commuters near a Banco Provincia bank branch in the financial district of Buenos Aires.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Milei government sees financial reasons to be cheerful

06-05-2026 22:45 President Javier Milei’s economic team sees a change in trend with external traction and lower interest rates. Experts and analysts speculate about sustainability of the model, income shock and Central Bank’s theory about a crisis of arrears.

by Eugenia Muzio

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Billionaire Rocca steps down as Tenaris CEO after 24 years

06-05-2026 22:30 Argentine-Italian billionaire steps down as CEO of steel-pipe maker Tenaris SA, but will remain as chairman.

A combine harvester cuts through a field of soybean plants at a drought-affected farm in San José de la Esquina, Argentina in April 2023.

Agricultural exports

Argentina fights to save huge soy exports after Dutch rejections

06-05-2026 16:11 Recent rejections of Argentine soy meal cargoes by the Netherlands creates complications; Testing detected drought-resistant HB4 strain, which lacks authorisation in EU.

The Economy Ministry building in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

MARKETS & BONDS

Argentine dollar bonds jump as Fitch upgrade revives demand

06-05-2026 15:57 Dollar bonds rallied Wednesday after Fitch Ratings upgraded the country’s credit score to its highest level since 2019.

RATINGS AGENCY

Argentina upgraded by Fitch on Milei’s economic overhaul

05-05-2026 21:33 Nation raised to 'B-' from 'CCC+' – six notches below investment grade, ratings firm said in a statement.

RATINGS AGENCY

Boost for Milei as Fitch lifts Argentina's credit rating to B-

05-05-2026 20:52 Fitch raises Argentina's credit rating one notch, citing the country's improved fiscal picture and its progress on economic reforms.