By Caroline Stauffer and Guido Nejamkis

BUENOS AIRES, Nov 19 (Reuters) - President Cristina Fernandez's new Cabinet picks this week confirmed a deepening of Argentina's left-leaning economic model rather than a policy switch needed to confront escalating inflation and dwindling foreign currency reserves.

After the president's first public appearance since an Oct. 8 operation to remove blood that pooled on her brain, her office late on Monday announced the promotion of leftist economist Axel Kicillof to economy minister and the replacement of the central bank director and agriculture minister. Kicillof has served as deputy economy minister.

Argentine debt prices were little moved on Tuesday by the news, though the Global 2017 bond was down 1 percent. The Merval stock index fell 3 percent.

Analysts said the 42-year-old Kicillof already had more influence on Fernandez than the man he replaced, Hernan Lorenzino, who was given the job of ambassador to the European Union.

Kicillof has advocated more interventionist policies and, as an academic, gave classes and wrote about the theories of economists including John Maynard Keynes and Karl Marx.

"For private investors, Kicillof is a concern, and for Argentines he is the ratification of the current economic course - nothing will change," said Alberto Fernandez, who was Cabinet chief under former President Nestor Kirchner, Fernandez's late husband.

Carlos Casamiquela will take over from Norberto Yauhar as agriculture minister in the world's No. 3 soybean and corn supplier. A 65-year-old agronomist, Casamiquela is known as a serious farm technician who understands the issues facing growers.

His appointment may improve dialogue between the government and the agriculture sector, but no big changes were expected in the interventionist policies that farmers say wreck their profits.

In addition, Carlos Fabrega was named central bank chief, replacing Mercedes Marcó del Pont.

MORENO RESIGNS

Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno, Fernandez's right-hand man in negotiating with the private sector and a lightning rod for criticism of her most contentious economic issues, resigned on Tuesday.

He is known for his tough stance with foreign firms, particularly grain trading companies, and has sent companies like Brazilian miner Vale running for the door.

He led the government's crackdown on private economists who say inflation is at least twice the official rate, charging them hefty fines to try to quell dissent over the crucial data.

The International Monetary Fund, which requires accurate statistics to analyze the world's economies, censured Argentina in early 2013 for failing to improve the accuracy of its inflation and gross domestic product data.