Case File
efta-01379425DOJ Data Set 10OtherEFTA01379425
Date
Unknown
Source
DOJ Data Set 10
Reference
efta-01379425
Pages
1
Persons
0
Integrity
Extracted Text (OCR)
Text extracted via OCR from the original document. May contain errors from the scanning process.
22 December 2017
EM Currency Handbook 2018: Still Fuel in the Tank
Argentina
Argentine FX arrangements were plagued by monetary
mismanagement and inflation throughout most of the
twentieth century leading to periodic large devaluations.
The Peso Ley replaced the Peso Moneda Nacional in
1970 at a rate of 100 to 1, which was itself replaced by
the Peso Argentino at a rate of 10,000 to 1 in 1983. In
1985, this was again replaced by the Austral at a rate
of 1,000 to 1, though this soon collapsed via hyper-
inflation. Beginning April 1st 1991, Argentina operated
a currency board system with the Peso (converted from
the Austral at 10,000 to 1) pegged to the dollar at the
rate of one to one, every peso in principle backed by
hard currency reserves. The "Convertibility Plan," was
conceived to solve Argentina's chronic inflation
problems, and throughout the first half of the 1990s the
system underpinned an economic boom, with inflation
declining to single digits.
However, as the decade
wore on, the real appreciation of the dollar placed the
system under strain as REER became increasingly
overvalued. The combination of persistent budget
imbalances, negative terms of trade shocks, and
inflexible monetary policy eroded credibility and
culminated with the abandonment of the currency peg
on January 6th, 2002.
Floating the currency led to a 70% devaluation of the
Peso, taking it from one of the most overvalued to one
of the most undervalued currencies in the world. Since
then, the exchange rate has been tightly managed and
capital flows strictly controlled. As the economy
recovered from the 2002 crisis, inflation increased once
again (albeit under-reported by the government since
early 2007), undermining the competitiveness of the
exchange rate. During the global crisis of 2008, the
authorities faced the challenge of allowing the currency
to depreciate but without triggering a sharp currency
substitution. The Central Bank of Argentina (BCRA)
embarked on a managed depreciation path, which by
the middle of 2009 was successfully completed.
After 2010, the Central Bank followed a more gradual,
depreciation trend significantly below inflation. In order
to stop capital flight and rein in the exchange rate, in
November 2011 the government introduced several
currency controls which lead to the development of a
vast black market. In mid-2013 the path of depreciation
accelerated in an attempt to account for an
accumulated real appreciation of more than 30% since
2010. This was followed by a 15% depreciation in
January 2014. Nonetheless, peso devaluation was not
accompanied by the necessary tightening of fiscal and
monetary policies, leading to inflation accelerating to
40% YoY (from 25% before). Consequently, the
currency quickly became overvalued. The currency is
not convertible, and most USD inflows are subject to a
mandatory, unremunerated one-year deposit at the
Central Bank. In November 2011, the government
stepped up the restrictions to trade in the local
currency market and forced some repatriation of funds
(see below). In addition all types of USD hoarding were
Page 90
prohibited and severe restrictions were imposed on
capital outflows. Regulations will likely remain
restrictive, negatively affecting liquidity in NDF and
options markets.
USDIARS spot and REER
190
190
170
1440
140
130
120
II 0
100
90
140
30
20
10
00
Jan-00 Jan02 Jes704 Jan06 Jan-0.3 Jan-I0 Jan12 Jan-14 Jan-16
I.ISDIASIS, Ohs)
—REEK amerced rho
0
60
, 120
I00
240
300
3M and 12M USD/ARS (offshore) NDF implied yield
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
so
0
Jan00 Jan-02 JarH)4 Jan06 Jarnte Jan70 Jan12 Jan-IA Jan-16
—ARS 3minpied NIS
—ARS 12m Inwattl Yield
Sanee. DB OfteatilanueResaincA Absenberp Ann* IP, BIS
1M USDIARS implied volatility and realized volatility
120
100
so
60
40
20
0
Dec-04
Dec-06
Dec-C6
Dec-I0
—ARS lm Invalid Val
Sam Orancher Bar*
Dec-12
Dec-14
Dec-I6
ARS IrnfloalascIVol
In December 2015, the new government led by
President Mauricio Macri dismantled most of the FX
controls introduced by the previous administration,
including restrictions on imports of goods and services
and profit remittances and the mandatory non-
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
CONFIDENTIAL - PURSUANT TO FED. R. CRIM. P. 6(e)
CONFIDENTIAL
DB-SDNY-0076893
SDNY_GM_00223077
EFTA01379425
Forum Discussions
This document was digitized, indexed, and cross-referenced with 1,400+ persons in the Epstein files. 100% free, ad-free, and independent.
Annotations powered by Hypothesis. Select any text on this page to annotate or highlight it.