Argentina's government and central bank jolted the country's battered currency back to life on Friday with a set of announcements intended to restore confidence in the president's ability to deliver sustainable growth while cutting inflation. The central bank sharply raised its monetary policy rate to 40%, sparking a 4.78% jump in the local peso, while the government cut its fiscal deficit target to 2.7% of gross domestic product (GDP). The moves followed a week of dramatic weakening in the peso, which sank 7.83% just on Thursday to 23 a US dollar. After the announcements on Friday, the currency strengthened to 21.95 to the greenback. The bank said it would keep using all tools at its disposal in its effort to reach the country's 15% inflation target for this year. Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne told reporters the government stood by the 15% target and supported the central bank's efforts. The bank has increased the key rate three times - on April 27, then on Thursday and again o...
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