Argentina Markets: Merval & the Peso — August 13, 2026
Key Facts
- The Merval fell 0.76%to 2,999,524 points, while country risk rose to 471 points, a gauge of investor nerves.
- The peso stayed calmat 1,492 per dollar, a tiny 0.10% move that keeps it near its strongest level in a year.
- Banks led the drift loweras Grupo Galicia slipped 0.2% and Banco Macro fell 0.9% on modest turnover.
- YPF eased 0.3%after confirming it will keep its YPF Agro unit rather than sell it, turning the division into a standalone company.
- Energy was mixedwith Pampa down 0.6% but Metrogas jumping 5.4% on thin volume.
Today’s Focus
The Merval, Argentina’s main stock index, fell 0.76% to 2,999,524 points on Wednesday — a modest pullback after recent strength. The peso was nearly flat at 1,492 per US dollar, just 0.5% below its strongest 52-week level of 1,330.
Country risk, which measures the extra yield investors demand to hold Argentine debt over US Treasuries, rose to 471 points. That uptick suggests bond markets were a touch warier than the equity move alone would show.
YPF, the state-controlled oil company, dipped 0.3% on news it will keep its agribusiness unit and spin it off as a separate company. Banks Grupo Galicia and Banco Macro slipped 0.2% and 0.9% respectively.
For a session with few fireworks, the tone stayed defensive: small losses in heavyweights, a soft peso, and caution ahead of July inflation data due Thursday.
What matters today. The market is holding its breath before Thursday’s CPI report, with country risk ticking up as a reminder that Argentina’s reform trade still carries a risk premium.
01 The session in one read
Buenos Aires stocks took a breather on Wednesday, with the Merval index slipping 0.76% to 2,999,524 points. It was a quiet drift rather than a sell-off — turnover in the index’s heavyweights was thin, and the peso barely budged at 1,492 per dollar.
The mood was set by two opposing signals. Local media reported country risk rising to 471 points, a sign bond investors want slightly more compensation for Argentine exposure even as Economy Minister Luis Caputo insisted ‘we are not well, but we are well on our way’ in a speech in Córdoba.
That tension between progress and fragility is the core of the Milei reform trade. Stocks have rallied hard on the president’s deregulation and fiscal agenda, but every data print and policy speech is mined for clues on whether the stabilisation can hold.
For ordinary savers watching from abroad, the day looked like a pause: the market kept its place near record-high territory, while individual stocks moved on company-specific news rather than big macro swings.
The evidence points to a market digesting recent gains rather than a change of heart. Turnover in the most-traded names was light — Grupo Galicia saw just $14 million, YPF $13 million, and Pampa $5 million — typical of a wait-and-see session. The peso’s stability at 1,492 and the central bank’s $12 million reserve purchase (reported by local media) show no panic, while the climb in country risk to 471 points signals the bond side is asking for a little more reward for holding Argentine exposure. Watch whether Thursday’s July inflation reading comes in below the 2% monthly estimate; a cooler print could reignite the rally that lifted the Merval toward 3 million, while a hotter one would pressure banks and rate-sensitive names.
02 The day’s numbers
| Measure | Level | Change | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merval (Argentina’s main stock index) | 2,999,524 | -0.76% | Soft pullback; still near highs |
| USD/ARS (peso per dollar) | 1,492 | +0.10% | Near its strongest in a year |
| Country risk | 471 pts | +— | Rose from 470; bond caution |
| S&P 500 (global backdrop) | 7,748 | +0.26% | US stocks steady, VIX fell 4.78% |
The Merval sits just below the psychologically important 3 million mark after Wednesday’s slip. It is the benchmark that tracks the biggest companies trading in Buenos Aires, from banks to energy producers.
The peso remains the region’s most contained currency story: at 1,492 per dollar it is only 0.5% below its strongest 52-week level, a remarkable stability for a country that once saw daily double-digit devaluations. The country risk figure, while up, is still far below the 2,000-plus readings seen during the 2020 debt crisis. Rio Times · Live Market Intelligence
Live Market IntelligenceArgentina — Live Market Board
## Argentina — Live Market Board
Instrument Last Change YoY Prev. High Low Volume
**MERVAL**2,999,524
-0.76%
+30.51%
3,022,485
3,042,365
2,991,150
—
**USD/ARS**1,493
+0.10%
+12.96%
1,491
1,494
1,480
—
**YPF**7,810
+0.26%
+72.84%
7,790
7,850
7,600
1,763,858
**GGAL**6,980
-0.78%
+1.82%
7,035
7,115
6,920
1,564,062
**PAMPA**5,115
+0.69%
+26.70%
5,080
5,140
5,000
721,190
**TXAR**747.50
-2.35%
+18.67%
765.50
770.00
742.50
771,892
**ALUAR**938.00
-1.21%
+29.83%
949.50
951.00
932.50
135,426
**TGS**8,870
-0.17%
+15.05%
8,885
9,075
8,720
143,546
**CEPU**2,156
+1.84%
+28.36%
2,117
2,165
2,086
404,146
**MIRGOR**1,650
-1.20%
-92.90%
1,670
1,670
1,635
20,877
**COME**40.93
-0.73%
-30.47%
41.23
41.60
40.50
4,258,884
**LOMA NEGRA**3,130
+0.08%
+5.80%
3,128
3,205
3,090
182,992
**BYMA**275.00
-1.70%
+35.14%
279.75
282.50
272.00
1,409,575
**TELECOM ARG**4,233
-0.70%
+55.19%
4,263
4,335
4,160
31,896
**GLOBANT**38.10
-2.26%
-49.65%
38.98
38.70
36.77
793,552
**MERCADOLIBRE**1,870
-3.59%
-20.71%
1,940
1,927
1,870
329,640
**4 of 14** names higher. **Utilities** led, while **Consumer Disc.** lagged.
03 Why it moved — bond nerves meet quiet equity patience
The clearest driver was the modest rise in country risk to 471 points, reported by Clarín’s economics desk. That measure — formally the JP Morgan EMBI+ spread — tracks how much extra yield investors demand to hold Argentine government bonds instead of US Treasuries.
A rising spread means bondholders are getting a little more nervous, or at least less euphoric, than equity traders. Yet the peso stayed put at 1,492 and the central bank bought $12 million in reserves, a small but steady sign of official confidence.
On the corporate side, YPF’s decision to keep its agribusiness unit rather than sell it removed one possible catalyst for the stock. Chief executive Horacio Marín confirmed the company will turn YPF Agro into a standalone society after failing to receive attractive offers.
That is a classic ‘no deal’ moment — not bad news, but not the premium-price sale investors might have priced in. It helps explain why YPF eased 0.3% on $13 million in turnover.
04 The day’s movers
| Driver | Turnover | Change | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metrogas (METR) | $2m | +5.4% | Biggest gainer |
| Transportadora Gas del Sur (TGSU2) | $2m | +0.4% | Gas pipeline |
| Transener (TECO2) | — | +0.2% | Power transmitter; thin trade |
| Grupo Galicia (GGAL) | $14m | -0.2% | Most traded; $14m |
| YPF (YPFD) | $13m | -0.3% | Agro unit kept; $13m |
| Pampa (PAMP) | $5m | -0.6% | Power producer; $5m |
| Banco Macro (BMA) | $3m | -0.9% | Bank; $3m |
| Banco BBVA Argentina (BBAR) | $1m | -3.0% | Worst big bank; $1m |
| Transportadora Gas del Norte (TGNO4) | — | -6.3% | Worst domestic loser |
The gainers’ board belonged to gas and power names. Metrogas jumped 5.4% on just $2 million in turnover — a reminder that thin liquidity can amplify moves in Argentina’s smaller energy utilities.
Among the big banks, the picture was soft: Grupo Galicia and Banco Macro each slipped less than 1%, while BBVA Argentina fell 3.0%. That bank-led drift fits the session’s defensive tone, as lenders are highly sensitive to shifts in inflation and country risk.
05 The regional scoreboard
| Index | Country | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Merval | Argentina | -0.76% |
| Ibovespa | Brazil | -0.23% |
| IPC | Mexico | +0.45% |
| IPSA | Chile | -1.31% |
| COLCAP | Colombia | +0.29% |
Argentina’s dip was the sharpest among the region’s major boards, though far from dramatic. Chile’s IPSA fell harder still at -1.31%, making Buenos Aires look relatively resilient by comparison.
The live market board above carries the latest closes, so treat this table as a curated snapshot. Brazil’s Ibovespa slipped 0.23%, while Mexico’s IPC posted a 0.45% gain — a mixed regional picture with no single dominant theme.
06 The technical picture
The Merval is hovering just below 3 million points, a level that has acted as both a magnet and a hurdle in recent weeks. Closing at 2,999,524 puts it within a hair of reclaiming that round number, but the 0.76% pullback shows buyers are hesitant to push through without a fresh catalyst.
The peso sits in a remarkably tight range: 1,492 per dollar is barely moved from the 52-week low of 1,330 and well within the stability band the central bank has defended. For technical traders, the key test is whether the index can hold above its recent consolidation zone and convert 3 million from resistance into support.
07 What to watch
- July CPI:Thursday’s inflation report is the next big test. A print below 2% monthly could revive the rally; above it could squeeze banks.
- Country risk:The 471-point reading is worth tracking. A sustained move toward 500 would signal bondholders are losing patience with the reform pace.
- YPF Agro spin-off:Investors will watch whether the standalone unit attracts partners or capital — a deal could give YPF’s share price a fresh angle.
- Central bank reserves:Official reserve purchases remain a quiet confidence signal. Steady daily buying would support the peso’s remarkable stability.
Background: Argentina Moves to Bar Its Own Officials From the ‘Inocencia Fiscal II’ Tax Deal.
Background: Argentina Tightens Liquidity in Its Peso Defense as the Dollar Holds Firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Merval?
The Merval is Argentina’s main stock index, tracking the largest companies listed on the Buenos Aires exchange, from banks to oil and utilities.
Why did the Merval fall on August 12?
It slipped 0.76% as country risk rose to 471 points, signalling bond investors wanted slightly more yield for Argentine exposure. Thin turnover and a lack of fresh catalysts kept the move modest.
What is country risk?
Country risk is the extra interest rate investors demand to hold Argentine government debt rather than US Treasuries. A lower number means more confidence; 471 points is still far below past crisis levels.
How is the peso doing?
The peso was nearly flat at 1,492 per dollar, within 0.5% of its strongest level in a year — a striking stability for a currency with a history of sharp devaluations.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
LatAm Markets: Live Signals → — real-time movers, turnover leaders and FX across Latin America.