Argentina: Annual inflation falls to over two-year low in February, but price growth accelerates month on month
Annual inflation falls to over two-year low in February, but price growth accelerates month on month
Latest reading:
Latest reading: Inflation came in at 66.9% in February, down from January’s 84.5% thanks to a higher base effect. February’s result represented the lowest inflation rate since June 2022, with price pressures easing across all subsectors.
Accordingly, the trend pointed down, with annual average inflation coming in at 172.7% in February (January: 196.8%).
Finally, consumer prices rose 2.40% in February over the previous month, accelerating from the 2.21% increase seen in January and slightly above market expectations.
Inflation came in at 66.9% in February, down from January’s 84.5% thanks to a higher base effect. February’s result represented the lowest inflation rate since June 2022, with price pressures easing across all subsectors.
Accordingly, the trend pointed down, with annual average inflation coming in at 172.7% in February (January: 196.8%).
Finally, consumer prices rose 2.40% in February over the previous month, accelerating from the 2.21% increase seen in January and slightly above market expectations.
Panelist insight:
Panelist insight: On the month-on-month reading, Goldman Sachs analysts said:
“We note that contrary to our expectations that good price inflation would ease towards the 1% exchange rate crawl, good prices rose 2.1% mom in February, accelerating from 1.5% in January and the highest reading since September 2024. Services inflation, however, welcomely eased to 3.1% having remained close or above 4.0% in the prior five months. All in all, the higher-than-expected inflation reading negatively impacts the currency’s competitiveness in an environment of already low international reserves. As such, we expect the tight capital controls that persist in the economy over the next few months.”
On the month-on-month reading, Goldman Sachs analysts said:
“We note that contrary to our expectations that good price inflation would ease towards the 1% exchange rate crawl, good prices rose 2.1% mom in February, accelerating from 1.5% in January and the highest reading since September 2024. Services inflation, however, welcomely eased to 3.1% having remained close or above 4.0% in the prior five months. All in all, the higher-than-expected inflation reading negatively impacts the currency’s competitiveness in an environment of already low international reserves. As such, we expect the tight capital controls that persist in the economy over the next few months.”