Argentina is closing in on a deal to receive around $1 billion in loans from investment bank Goldman Sachs and is in talks with other international banks about similar deals, local newspaper Pagina/12 reported on Sunday. The paper, which has close ties with the government of President Cristina Fernandez, said the two-year loan would be announced in the next few days and carry an annual interest rate of 6.5 percent.
It would be the first time in more than a decade the country has received a substantial loan from international creditors and comes as the government seeks cash to avoid a further devaluation of the peso.
The Economy Ministry did not provide immediate comment on the report.
The government wants the new funds to boost its depleted foreign exchange reserves, the paper said, citing an unnamed government source. The reserves will see a further improvement in April with the export of the country's grain harvest.