Buenos Aires, Feb 9 (NA) -- The dollar deepened its bearish trend in the local market on Monday, registering its most significant daily drop so far this year. This situation was seized upon by the Central Bank (BCRA) to carry out a record purchase of 176 million dollars for its reserves. The wholesale currency closed the session with a plunge of 16 pesos, settling at $1407.00 for purchase and $1416.00 for sale. This 1.1% decline equals the mark set on November 17 and places the bill at its lowest level since late November 2025. With this move, the gap relative to the ceiling of the exchange rate band—set at $1578.71 today—widened to 11.5%, the largest technical distance recorded since last September. BCRA: Purchases and Goals. The strong predominance of supply allowed the monetary authority to capture over 40% of the volume traded in the spot segment, which totaled US$430.9 million. The 176 million dollars acquired today represent the largest daily purchase since mid-January. Financial and Retail Markets. The Retail Dollar at Banco Nación closed at $1440, while the average for private entities stood at $1446. The MEP dollar retreated to $1438.50, while the Contado con Liquidación (CCL) broke through the $1500 barrier to close at an average of $1488. Meanwhile, the blue dollar reached $1430, its lowest value in two months. Financial Climate. The scenario of exchange rate calm and the continuation of the carry trade scheme—encouraged by the 'short leash' monetary policy—boosted a recovery in Argentine assets. The Country Risk fell by 10 units to settle at 502 basis points. On Wall Street, Argentine company stocks (ADRs) showed gains of up to 6%, with the banking and energy sectors standing out. At the same time, dollar future contracts also traded in the red, with drops of up to 1.4%, amid expectations of greater currency liquidation ahead of the start of the main harvest in March and April.
