Argentina marks record trade surplus at nearly $19 bln in Milei's first year as president
BUENOS AIRES, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Argentina posted a record $18.9 billion trade surplus for 2024, according to official data released on Monday, that largely coincides with libertarian President Javier Milei's first full year on the job.
Last year's trade surplus exceeds the previous annual record of $16.89 billion set in 2009, and came in at the upper end of the forecast from analysts polled by Reuters, who expected a figure between $18 billion and $19 billion.
The far-right economist and one-time political outsider aims to make Argentina a net energy exporter, powered by its vast shale oil and gas reserves, while also easing currency controls to boost other exports, including from the country's major grains sector.
The value of last year's exports stood at nearly $80 billion, led by farming and ranching, while imports totaled almost $61 billion, according to data from the government's official statistics office.
