Weekly performance confirmed a sustained accumulation trend in the Foreign Exchange Market, driven by increased currency supply and a monetary policy aimed at strengthening the Central Bank's balance. Since the start of the year, the BCRA's daily purchases have shown a consistent increase. The monetary authority acquired US$125 million on the day, raising the total purchased since January to US$687 million, representing one of the most consistent streaks of positive intervention in recent months. With this operation, the BCRA closed the week with gross international reserves at US$44.607 billion. The official also announced that an IMF mission will arrive in Argentina during February to conduct the first review of the current program. In the financial market, various analysts emphasized that the government has made it clear that currency purchases will be the only channel for peso issuance, which reinforces the monetary anchor and limits inflationary pressures. This increase would allow for the purchase of around US$10 billion, subject to the evolution of the balance of payments and currency supply. In the initial sessions, acquisitions ranged from moderate amounts to larger-volume operations, until a pace was established that allowed it to easily surpass the US$600 million accumulated in less than two weeks. In this context, the BCRA is expected to maintain a prudent strategy, prioritizing monetary control and exchange rate stability, in line with the commitments made to the international organization. In parallel, the Central Bank presented medium-term projections that anticipate strong potential for reserve accumulation. With the start of the so-called 'phase 4' of the monetary program, the entity stated that the dollar's floating bands will be updated for inflation and that, under certain macroeconomic conditions, reserves could increase substantially. According to the BCRA's explanation, the monetary base would rise from the current 4.2% to 4.8% of GDP by next December. In a more favorable scenario, with an additional increase in money demand equivalent to 1% of GDP, the purchasing capacity could scale up to US$17 billion without the need for intensive sterilization mechanisms. The performance of the last sessions reinforces the official expectation of rebuilding the Central Bank's firepower and consolidating a more robust exchange rate scheme. In a context of close monitoring by the IMF and the markets, the continuity of this dynamic will be key to sustaining financial stability and advancing the normalization of the external front. Sources consulted: Banco Central de la República Argentina; Fondo Monetario Internacional; Agencia Noticias Argentinas; financial consultancies; market reports. In this context, Friday's session stood out not only for the amount acquired, but also for the signal of continuity it sends to the market. The Central Bank's strategy also has the explicit backing of the International Monetary Fund. Friday's purchases were the second largest of the year, second only to those recorded a few days ago, when the agency absorbed US$187 million in a single session. Buenos Aires, January 18, 2026 - Total News Agency-TNA - The Central Bank of the Argentine Republic carried out its tenth consecutive session with a buyer's balance in the foreign exchange market and consolidated a strong accumulation of reserves at the start of the year. In recent statements, the agency's spokeswoman, Julie Kozack, highlighted that the accumulation of reserves 'began at an accelerated pace,' which was interpreted as a validation of the ongoing monetary and exchange scheme.
