The Argentine government faces two major tests this week in financial and economic matters: it will have to report on February's inflation data and seek to renew maturities in a new debt auction. After the official January data was released, marking the fifth consecutive month of increase, analysts expect inflation to be between 2.5% and 3%. The latest Market Expectations Survey (REM) published by the Central Bank (BCRA) adjusted its inflation projections: while it was weighted below January's 2.9%, it increased its expectations for February by 0.6 percentage points. In this regard, it aligns with Caputo's expectation that inflation in February ended below the previous record. New Treasury Auction The Executive branch will face the first auction of Treasury bills and bonds corresponding to March. Expert Iván Cachanovsky from Libertad y Progreso commented: "We are seeing an inflation for December that will close at around 20% annually. For the annual inflation of 2026, they estimate it will be 26.1%". Economy Minister Luis Caputo is watching closely the possibility that inflation will pierce the 1% mark for August, although various economists point out that this scenario will not occur. Martín Kaloss stated that "what Caputo proposes is not possible" and affirmed that "the Executive branch has an optimistic discourse on inflation that is not realistic". In the last debt auction, the government decided not to renew all maturities and released pesos into the market. At the same time, regarding the issuance of a new dollar bond, which will be used to pay the upcoming July maturities, the Secretariat of Finance indicated that it secured US$150 million at a rate of 5.89%, lower than the 6% that had been detailed. At the close of the first week of March, the Central Bank (BCRA) acquired US$291 million and ended its international reserves at US$46,004 million. In parallel, the dollar rose for the third time in four rounds and consolidated above $1,400. ExpoAgro 2026 begins Next Tuesday, March 10, the 20th edition of Expoagro 2026 YPF Agro, the largest agro-industrial event in the region, will begin. It will be held at the fairground and racetrack of San Nicolás de los Arroyos and will last until March 13. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, ExpoAgro reached a new record: all spaces were reserved in advance, with more than 700 exhibitors and 100 companies joining or returning to the event.
