LatinNews Daily - 16 April 2026

*The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached a staff-level agreement with authorities in Argentina on the second review under the country’s US$20bn extended fund facility (EFF) arrangement agreed with President Javier Milei’s government in April 2025. The agreement allows for the disbursal of around US$1bn, subject to approval by the IMF executive board. In a statement, the IMF highlighted legislative gains in recent months for the Milei government such as the approval of the annual budget and “critical legislation” aimed at “formalizing holdings of financial assets by residents, enhancing labor market flexibility, ratifying critical trade agreements, and unlocking investments in mining”. Regarding the economic impacts of the war in the Middle East, the IMF stated that Argentina could weather the spillovers well given the “ongoing improvements in its fundamentals and status as a net energy exporter”. In a social media post, Argentina’s economy minister, Luis Caputo, hailed the latest agreement as “a very important step” in the “consolidation of macroeconomic stability”. The first review of the programme was completed in July 2025, allowing for the disbursement of around US$2bn. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook (WEO) released on 14 April is forecasting 3.5% GDP growth for Argentina in 2026, down from its 4% forecast in its January WEO.

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