Argentina Posts $11B Trade Surplus for Second Year

Argentina celebrated a financial milestone this week that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago: a second straight year of trade surplus, totaling $11.3 billion in 2025.

The South American nation exported $87.1 billion in goods while importing $75.8 billion, according to data from INDEC, Argentina's national statistics bureau. This achievement marks a dramatic shift for a country that hadn't recorded a fiscal surplus since 2010.

The surplus came alongside another win: Argentina also posted a fiscal surplus for the second year running, with public accounts showing a 0.2 percent surplus relative to GDP. These "twin surpluses" represent a complete reversal of the economic struggles that plagued the country for over a decade.

Exports drove much of the positive story. Primary products like agricultural goods jumped 21.2 percent, while manufactured products rose 9.3 percent overall. Brazil remained Argentina's biggest trading partner despite political tensions between the two nations' leaders, accounting for $12.8 billion in exports.

The economic turnaround extends beyond trade numbers. Inflation, which ravaged household budgets at 211 percent in 2023, dropped dramatically to 31.5 percent in 2025. That's still high by global standards, but the downward trend offers real relief to families who watched prices spiral out of control.

The Bright Side

While critics point to spending cuts in education, healthcare, and public works as the price of this progress, the economic stabilization offers something Argentina hasn't had in years: predictability. Businesses can plan investments, families can save money without watching it evaporate, and the country can attract foreign investment again.

The International Monetary Fund projects Argentina's economy will grow 4 percent in both 2026 and 2027, suggesting this stability might have staying power. For a nation that experienced repeated currency crises and debt defaults, sustained growth would be transformative.

These consecutive surpluses prove that even economies written off as hopeless can turn around with the right fundamentals in place.