The central bank’s dilemma: if it raises rates, it will also make its own debt more expensive

The monetary authority’s voluminous earning liabilities, the passes and the Leliq, would be even larger if it decides to raise rates as a means of containing inflation.

FILE- View of the main entrance of the Central Bank in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, July 8, 2022. Argentina’s government announced Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 that it will buy back part of its foreign debt for $1 billion. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

Inflation of 6.6% was not expected even by the most pessimistic. The positive side is that this number could have been changed downwards and no one would have noticed, which gives credit to the INDEC.

The free dollar remains at 377 pesos

The currency exchanged on the informal market is offered without variations on Tuesday, at 377 dollars for sale. He free dollar It is up two pesos so far in March and brings the gain to 31 pesos or 9% since the start of 2023.

With a dollar wholesaler which is now up 29 cents to $202.15, the exchange difference is 86.5%.

The dollar counted with liquidation dropped a peso to $392 while the MEP it fell two pesos to $377.

Shares of US banks soared as much as 35% yesterday on Wall Street after the panic that generated the fall of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday. The S&P Merval sank 12.1% in 4 days.

BCRA sold $145 million yesterday. Due to the inflation data, the interest rate could be raised further this week.

Financial day: the Argentine stock market was isolated from the rebound of Wall Street and accentuated its decline

The S&P Merval fell 2.1% in the fourth straight streak of losses. Dollar bonds rebounded slightly and country risk fell below 2,300 points. BCRA sold 145 million USD to MULC

The fall in the stock market goes hand in hand with the negative figures for the economy.
The fall in the stock market goes hand in hand with the negative figures for the economy.

Finally, the Inflation in Argentina has again exceeded 100% annually after more than three decades. INDEC reports that the CPI for February reached 6.6%, with an increase of 102.5% compared to the same month in 2022. This bad “macro” data was associated with a financial responsewith the fourth session bearish for equities and the seventh session negative for the Central Bank, which continues to sell liquid reserves in the foreign exchange market.

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