Argentine Stocks Surge at the Week's Start: What’s Behind the Rise?
Election Results Impact: Argentine stocks are experiencing a rise following President Javier Milei's party, La Libertad Avanza, winning 41% of the votes in a congressional midterm election, increasing their representation significantly.
Market Reaction: The S&P Merval Index rose over 1%, and the Argentine peso jumped 10% post-election, with notable increases in shares of Grupo Financiero Galicia, YPF SA, and MercadoLibre Inc.
Stock Performance: At the time of reporting, Grupo Financiero Galicia's stock surged 39%, YPF SA's stock rose 27%, and MercadoLibre's stock increased by 6%.
U.S. Support: The election results are seen as crucial for a potential $40 billion aid package from the U.S., as indicated by support from former President Donald Trump prior to the elections.
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Trump's Stance on Iran: President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's negotiation approach, indicating that they are not willing to compromise significantly.
Concerns Over Enrichment: Trump emphasized that there should be no enrichment of uranium by Iran, reiterating a hardline stance on nuclear negotiations.
Frustration with Current Negotiations: He conveyed that the current state of negotiations with Iran is unsatisfactory and does not meet U.S. expectations.
Overall Sentiment: Trump's comments reflect a broader frustration with Iran's actions and the ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding their nuclear program.
- Financial Performance Decline: YPF reported a Q4 net loss of $649 million, more than double the $284 million loss from the previous year, with revenues falling 4% year-over-year to $4.56 billion, primarily due to fluctuating oil and petroleum derivative prices, indicating vulnerability in the company's market position.
- Adjusted EBITDA Growth: Despite the increased losses, YPF's adjusted EBITDA surged 53% to $1.28 billion, slightly exceeding analysts' expectations of $1.22 billion, reflecting progress in cost control and operational efficiency amidst challenging market conditions.
- Shale Production Surge: YPF's shale oil production increased by 42% year-over-year to 196,000 barrels per day, with full-year shale output rising 35% to 165,000 barrels per day, showcasing the company's strong growth potential in the shale sector, which is expected to drive future revenue growth.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: YPF forecasts EBITDA for FY 2026 to be between $5.8 billion and $6.2 billion, up from $5 billion reported in 2025, while planning to increase full-year shale oil production to 215,000 barrels per day, indicating the company's confidence in future market conditions and expansion strategies.
- Projected Financial Growth: The financial projections for the year 2026 indicate a range between $5.8 billion and $6.2 billion.
- CEO Insights: The CEO has provided insights regarding the anticipated growth and financial targets for the upcoming years.

- Investment Expectations: The company anticipates investments ranging between $5.5 billion and $5.8 billion by the year 2026.
- CEO Insights: The information was shared during a conference call led by the CEO, highlighting future financial strategies.
- Shifting Investment Trends: The latest 13F filings reveal that the world's largest hedge funds are gradually exiting trades that performed well last year, pivoting towards hard assets, indicating a strategic adjustment in response to market uncertainties and inflation concerns.
- Gold and Oil Investments: Bridgewater has significantly increased its holdings in gold mining stocks as gold prices surpass $5,000 and oil prices rise above $65, highlighting hedge funds' focus on inflation risks and preference for traditional safe-haven assets.
- Fed Policy Expectations: Minutes from the Fed's meeting indicate increased discussions among officials about potential rate hikes, with markets pricing in a 93% chance of holding rates in March, which has led to more capital flowing into inflation hedge trades, reflecting cautious market sentiment regarding future economic conditions.
- Portfolio Diversification: Major investment funds are reducing their concentration in mega-cap tech stocks, suggesting that market participants are reassessing their portfolios to navigate potential economic volatility and policy shifts effectively.
- Project Milestone: Argentina's YPF, Italy's Eni, and Adnoc's investment arm XRG signed a joint development agreement on Thursday aimed at unlocking Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale basin, positioning the country as a long-term global liquefied natural gas supplier.
- Investment Decision Outlook: The agreement is seen as a significant milestone for the project, with an expected final investment decision in H2 2023, marking a critical phase in project implementation.
- Engineering Design Initiation: Under the joint development agreement, partners will commence front-end engineering and design, along with other key technical, commercial, and financing workstreams to ensure smooth project progression.
- Capacity Projections: The Argentina LNG project is expected to deliver 12 million tons per year of LNG capacity through two floating LNG facilities, each with a capacity of 6 million tons per year, further solidifying Argentina's position in the global LNG market.




