Argentina's July inflation rate would have been higher if measured with a new price index that the government decided against adopting, according to a report from infobae.com published Friday.
The report, citing the government's decision to set aside the alternative index, indicates that the official inflation figure for July understates the rise in consumer prices. The government's choice not to use the new index means the published rate does not reflect the full extent of price increases during the month.
The news comes as other outlets, including La Voz del Interior, reported that Argentina ranked second in inflation among Latin American countries in July. Clarin.com noted that price pressures have proven stubborn, with four key factors explaining why inflation has been slow to ease despite adjustment measures. La Política Online similarly questioned why prices have not fallen despite fiscal tightening, while Bloomberg Línea has looked ahead to what August might bring following July's rebound.
The infobae.com report focuses specifically on the methodological choice behind the official figure. By declining to implement the newer index, the government kept the existing measurement framework in place, which produced a lower July number than the alternative would have shown.
The discrepancy between the two indices highlights the sensitivity of inflation data to measurement methodology. For observers tracking Argentina's economic trajectory, the gap between the official rate and the rate under the rejected index offers a more complete picture of price dynamics.
What to watch next is whether the government revisits the new index in the coming months, and how August's inflation reading compares under the current methodology.
