Buenos Aires stock market closes down 0.19%

Argentina's stock market experienced a slight downturn, with the S&P Merval index of leading companies listed on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange closing down 0.19% at 3,239,323.46 units. The broader S&P BYMA general index followed suit, decreasing by 0.16% to settle at 136,029,626.17 points.

Among the top-performing stocks, Grupo Financiero Galicia saw the largest drop, falling 2.2%, closely followed by Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos, which declined 1.9%. Conversely, Metrogas shares rose 5.6%, and Sociedad Comercial del Plata gained 2.3%, indicating mixed performance within the market.

In the bond market, Argentine sovereign bonds denominated in U.S. dollars showed resilience, with gains reaching up to 0.8%. However, Argentina's country risk index increased to 410 basis points, suggesting a slightly higher perceived risk for investors.

The foreign exchange market saw the U.S. dollar depreciate against the Argentine peso. The dollar fell 10 pesos to 1,495 pesos for retail sales at the state-run Banco Nación. In the official market, it retreated 11.50 pesos to 1,470.50 per unit. The parallel 'blue' dollar remained stable at 1,520 pesos for selling.