Mariano Espina (EN)

Reporter - Argentina

Argentine journalist, specializing in politics. He previously worked in the newsrooms of El Economista and Data Clave. He obtained a degree in journalism from Universidad de El Salvador.

English

Mr. Lithium Has Advice for Argentina to Capitalize on its White Gold Rush

Joe Lowry, one of the sector’s leading consultants, spoke to Bloomberg Línea about international prices, Elon Musk and Argentina’s negotiations with the United States

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Milei Seals First Investment Announcement for Argentina’s ‘White Gold’ in Israel

The company XtraLit will invest US$104 million to explore lithium projects in the country, as well as providing direct lithium extraction technologies

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These Are the 41 Companies Betting on Argentina’s Lithium: Key Export and Price Forecasts

Exclusive Report: A deep dive into a rapidly expanding sector that could muster sales abroad worth as much as US$15 billion by 2034

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Pressure Mounts on Milei as Execs, Provinces Ask for Key Pipeline Works to Continue

Oil & gas companies and provincial governments in Argentina are asking the federal government to keep spending on works for the reversal of a northern gas pipeline, as imports from Bolivian decline

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Argentina Seeks to Nationalize Hydroelectric Plants as Concessions Expire

The proposal is part of the 2024 budget, as seven private companies’ concessions end between this year and next, while the country’s provinces are also demanding participation in the projects

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US Court Rules Argentina Must Pay $16 Billion for Wrongful YPF Nationalization

New York Judge Loretta Preska has ruled in favor of the Burford Capital, while the Argentine Government has anticipated that it will appeal the decision

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Foreign Banks Expect Another Devaluation of the Argentine Peso By Year’s End

Bank of America estimates that the official exchange rate could be 600 pesos to the US dollar at year’s end

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Argentine Candidate Milei Backtracks on Changes to Trade Relations With Brazil, China

Javier Milei said at an event in Buenos Aires on Thursday that, if elected in October, his government would be aligned with the US and Israel, and that he would not interfere in the private sector’s foreign trade

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IMF Green-Lights $7.5 Billion Disbursement for Argentina

The government confirmed the new lifeline for the central bank, which will use the same funds to repay debt with the International Monetary Fund

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Argentina Secures Additional $1.3B In Loans from IDB, World Bank

Economy Minister and presidential candidate Sergio Massa announced from the US that the funds will be used for social programs and public works

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Argentina Announces New Price Caps In a Bid to Contain Runaway Inflation

The Economy Ministry has imposed a 5% increase in prices for the next three months following a 22% devaluation of the peso that will likely lead to inflation over the coming months

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Argentina Primaries 2023: Sergio Massa’s Unión por la Patria Finishes Third

Known locally as the PASO, the elections will narrow down the the final candidates for the general elections in October. Follow all developments, live

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Argentina Takes On More Debt With $100M IDB Loan

The funds will be aimed at improving productivity and agricultural exports following the effects of the drought, and to boost the country’s dwindling reserves

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A Dollar Crisis Is Threatening Progress at Argentina’s Massive Shale Formation

Capital controls and the central bank’s net negative international reserves are threatening to take their toll on oil and gas production at Vaca Muerta, which accounts for half of the country’s total output

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Rio Tinto to Pursue Argentine Lithium Project Investment Despite Rising Costs

The Australian mining company is building a plant to produce 3000 tons of lithium carbonate annually in the Argentine province of Salta, but is also reviewing the costs

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Argentina Approves $700M Offshore Gas Production Project

The so-called Proyecto Fénix, operated by Total Energies with the participation of Wintershall Dea and PAE, is expected to begin production in early 2025

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Plummeting Peso, Economic Crisis Hinder Argentina’s Gold-Mining Growth Potential

Gold is the biggest generator of US dollars within the country’s mining industry, and while big investments have been made, the sector falls short of its potential due to the weak peso and the economic crisis

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Argentine Provinces Reject Lawmakers’ Proposals to Nationalize Lithium Resources

The country’s federal mining council has expressed its opposition to a plan announced by lawmakers of the ruling Frente de Todos coalition that would make Argentina’s lithium resources property of the state

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Real Estate: Where to Invest $1M In Buenos Aires

Amid the context of economic crisis, opportunities emerge in the real estate market. Bloomberg Línea consults realty experts to find the best options

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Two Lithium Miners Active In Argentina Merge In $10.6B Deal

Allkem and Livent, which operate in Argentina’s Catamarca and Jujuy provinces, will merge to create the world’s third-largest producer, with a valuation of $10.6 billion

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Argentina’s Añelo, the ‘Capital’ of Vaca Muerta, Yet to See Benefits of Shale Boom

Located 105 kms from the capital of Neuquén province, Añelo sits atop one of the world’s largest shale oil and gas reserves, but remains poor and is lacking infrastructure and services

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How Brazil Could Surpass Argentina as World’s Biggest Soybean Flour Exporter

Drought has affected production in Argentina and will impact the exports of a key product, with Brazil set to surpass the country as an exporter of the product for the first time in 26 years

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Argentina Ranks Third Globally as Source of Remote Talent

The country leads in Latin America, above Brazil and Colombia, for the number of startups and companies outside of the country seeking remote workers, according to a report by HR platform Deel

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Globant Reports Best Year So Far Despite Complex Outlook In 2022 for Tech Sector

The Argentina-based multinational software developer used AI emulating co-founder and CEO Martín Migoya’s face and voice to present its Q4 and FY 2022 results, which exceeded analysts’ expectations

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Latin America’s First Lithium Battery Plant Procures Supplier, Targets April Opening

Argentina’s YPF-Tec plans to begin manufacturing battery cells in April, and has struck a deal with US-based company Livent, which will supply lithium carbonate

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Argentina Poised to Be World’s Third-Largest Lithium Producer by 2030, JPMorgan Says

The US investment bank also forecasts that four African countries could position themselves as major producers of the mineral

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How Feasible Is Brazil and Argentina’s Proposal for a Common Trading Currency?

Authorities in both countries have ratified their intention to advance with the plan, but experts warn of the challenges they could face in the short term

News in English

Chile Exports Electricity Generated By Renewables to Argentina for First Time

AES Andes, the company that manages the InterAndes transmission line along which Chile will export and import energy from Argentina, announced the reactivation of the two countries' electricity exchange

News in English

Exclusive: Argentina’s Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline Still Facing Financing Shortfall

The Argentine government had assured it had secured the loans to build the second phase of the infrastructure, but there are still hurdles to be overcome

News in English

Exclusive: YPF Investment In 2023 Will Depend on Inflation’s Impact on Fuel Prices

A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg Línea that the oil company’s expenditure will depend on prices being aligned with the consumer price index

News in English

Argentine Investment Grows Despite High Inflation, Currency Depreciation

Investment by Argentine companies is up 29% compared to 2021, while investment in Buenos Aires province in third quarter was equal to record 2018 and 2007 levels

English version

Argentina to Launch ‘Tech Dollar’, Mulls Flexible Exchange Rate for Freelancers

The country’s economy minister, Sergio Massa, is working on a new currency exchange scheme for the knowledge economy, with a plan to be unveiled on October 3

English version

Argentine Low-Cost Airline Claims to Be World’s First to Offer Tickets in Crypto

Flybondi has forged a strategic alliance with TravelX, and will sell ‘NFTickets’ for seats

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Less Global Liquidity Impacts Investment in Argentine Startups

Argentina has seen a drop in the number and volume of transactions compared with the first half of 2021, while one-quarter of deals were in companies with a social impact

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Argentina Declares Public Holiday Following Attack on Vice President Kirchner

President Alberto Fernández declared a public holiday to allow for demonstrations to protest against Thursday night’s attack on Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

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Argentina, Uruguay Lead Latin America’s Female Tech-Talent Pool

Female jobseekers represented 40% of the total for tech jobs at BairesDev in 2020-21, a 400% increase compared to five years ago

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China Increases Investment in Argentina, Eyes Lithium

The two countries marked 50 years of bilateral ties in February, and Beijing has this year announced more multi-billion-dollar investments in the South American country

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Argentina’s YPF to Begin Lithium Battery Production

Y-TEC, state oil company YPF’s technology arm, will begin manufacturing the batteries by year’s end, and Bloomberg Línea takes a look at where the company will source its components from and whether it will be profitable

Startups

How Argentine Unicorns and Startups Are Dodging LatAm’s Winter of Layoffs

Technology CEOs and entrepreneurs in the country are writing their own playbook to face a new, hostile context

English version

Lithium Deals Drive Argentina’s M&A Market

The world’s second-largest reserves of the metal that is key to battery production continue attracting investors, while energy deals also figured strongly during May and June

English version

Startup Crisis Reflects Global Uncertainty, SAP’s LatAm President Says

In an interview with Bloomberg Línea, Cristina Palmaka says the adjustments suffered by companies in the region respond to a cycle, and are not permanent, while the German software company’s short-term plans have not changed

News in English

British Fintech Revolut Eyes Expansion Into Argentina

Having hired country managers in Brazil and Mexico, the company with a $33 billion valuation has begun moves into Argentina and has a waiting list of users. Bloomberg Línea finds out more

Startups

Talent Is the ‘Digital Soybean’ In Argentina and Uruguay, Aleph’s CEO Says

Gastón Taratura, who is preparing an IPO for the edtech unicorn, is EY Argentina’s entrepreneur of the year, and is also a partner of MercadoLibre, Twitter and TikTok