News of inflation

You better shape up (the Cabinet)

14-11-2020 10:33 President Alberto Fernández is facing questions about the executive performance of his Cabinet and not only from the opposition.

by Martín Gambarotta

THIS WEEK

What we learned this week: November 7 to 14

14-11-2020 10:21 A round-up of some of the key stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

BLOOMBERG

Argentina hikes rates after prices surge past expectations

12-11-2020 23:56 Central Bank hikes interest rates after October inflation report showed consumer prices surged at the fastest pace this year.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation reached 3.8% in October, highest monthly rate of year

12-11-2020 17:05 Prices in Argentina have risen by 26.9% since turn of the year, reveals INDEC national statistics bureau.

POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC

Peronism tries to strike back

24-10-2020 08:52 On October 17, the national government tried to regain the initiative. To some observers, Loyalty Day came and passed with some subtle but notable observations.

by Martín Gambarotta

ARGENTINA ON THE RUN

The peso's got a fever and the only prescription is more dollars

24-10-2020 08:08 Whereas classical economic theory suggests that markets create efficient prices through a cumulative aggregation of information, thus allowing market players to accede to perfect information, the current situation in the City Porteña is one of absolute price opacity.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

FINANCIAL TURMOIL

Guzmán: 'There will be no devaluation'

24-10-2020 05:44 Economy minister says currency will depreciate ‘hand-in-hand with inflation,’ as blue dollar soars to close at record high of 195 pesos per greenback.

THE WEEK IN ARGENTINA

What we learned this week: October 10 to 17

17-10-2020 10:05 A round-up of stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

INDEC: Inflation 2.8% in September, 22.3% this year so far

14-10-2020 18:22 Consumer prices rose 2.8% in September, with the biggest increases in clothing and footwear and alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

EDITORIAL

Uncertainty amid the malaise

10-10-2020 09:41 Burning as all these problems are, literally so in the case of the fires and metaphorically in the case of the economic and monetary crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, none of them are really being faced by a government seeking or obsessed with another agenda.

Bloomberg

Government to devalue peso faster while it fights reserves drop

01-10-2020 23:09 The Central Bank will end a policy of “uniform devaluation” and allow greater volatility, according to a statement sent by the institution led by Miguel Pesce after hours Thursday.

PERIODISMO PURO | INTERVIEW

Miguel Pesce: ‘A dollar at 130 pesos would inflict unbearable levels of poverty’

26-09-2020 08:45 Following a week of difficult announcements, Central Bank chief Miguel Pesce sits down for a feature-length interview to explain the government’s logic in what he describes as “very arduous situation, aggravated by the action of speculators.” Nevertheless, Pesce remains optimistic over 2021 growth, lower inflation and export possibilities.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

CAPITAL CONTROLS

Pesce and Guzmán split over curbs on dollar purchases

19-09-2020 09:26 Government’s economic team split on latest crackdown, as well as how long new rules should remain in place.

THE WEEK IN ARGENTINA

What we learned this week: September 12 to 19

19-09-2020 09:18 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

INDEC says inflation in August reached 2.7%

16-09-2020 18:24 Consumer prices in Argentina increased 2.7% in August and have risen 18.9% since the turn of the year.

Budget proposal

Fernández's first Budget projects 5.5% growth in 2021

16-09-2020 01:17 Government's budget bill forecast for 2021: economic growth of 5.5%, primary fiscal deficit of 4.5%, inflation at 29% and 102 pesos per dollar.

debt talks

IMF in 'initial stages' of Argentina loan talks: official

10-09-2020 18:27 The IMF is in the early phase of talks with Argentina over a new financing programme, and is gathering information on how best to help the country, confirms spokesperson.

LA GRIETA

Argentina’s burnout syndrome

29-08-2020 08:28 The lack of social contact, confinement, and a current state of alert given protracted panic is causing anxiety and cognitively wearing down our population, making the future recovery even more uncertain.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

EDITORIAL

It’s also the economy, stupid

22-08-2020 09:39 Why is anybody even talking about judicial reform? Putting the economy back on track evidently requires more than successful debt negotiations.

THE LAST SEVEN DAYS

What we learned this week: August 8 to 15

15-08-2020 11:05 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation in Argentina reached 1.9% in July

13-08-2020 17:59 Consumer prices rose 1.9% in July from the previous month. Inflation since the turn of the year now totals 15.8%.

PRINTING MONEY

Government imports bank notes to meet thirst for cash

24-07-2020 02:15 The government is rushing to import bank notes as the national mint struggles to keep pace with soaring Central Bank issuance and inflation of more than 40%.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation in June hit 2.2%, reveals INDEC

15-07-2020 18:21 Consumer prices outpaced expectations to rise by 2.2% last month despite the coronavirus lockdown. In the first six months of 2020 inflation totalled 13.6%, with prices up 42.8% over the last year.

EXTENDED INTERVIEW

Martín Guzmán: ‘The reality facing Argentina was not understood by creditors’

13-06-2020 09:06 Economy Minister Martín Guzmán on debt talks, sustainability, the IMF, the coronavirus pandemic, printing money and inflation.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Coronavirus pandemic

Virus deepens economic crisis as poverty soars

13-06-2020 08:58 Number of Argentines receiving food aid since crisis began has gone from 8 million to 11 million, according to officials.

THE LAST SEVEN DAYS

June 6 to 13: What we learned this week

13-06-2020 08:38 Key stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation reached 1.5% in May, second straight month under 2%

12-06-2020 01:20 Inflation rate for the last 12 months now totals 43.4%, with a rise of 11.1 percent recorded in the first five months of the year so far.

Bloomberg

Inflation in full retreat means Latin America can boost stimulus

10-06-2020 16:32 Consumer prices fell last month in several major economies in Latin America due to the decrease in demand resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN INTERVIEW

Dominique Strauss-Kahn: ‘Argentina has the cards to renegotiate its debt’

23-05-2020 09:45 French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, gives his view on Argentina’s debt restructuring talks, the Fund’s leadership and wealth taxes.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

ECONOMY AND CULTURE

Choice of Ramón Carrillo for 5,000-peso bill sparks controversy

23-05-2020 08:04 Health secretary under Perón set to be featured on new banknote, but local Jewish community leaders express anger given his historic links to Nazi Danish doctor Carl Peter Vaernet.

BLOOMBERG

Inflation expectations soar amid Central Bank stimulus

21-05-2020 01:41 Plans to greatly expand the amount of money in circulation, while the demand for pesos is low and inflation is already at 45%, have increased concerns about rising prices.

ARGENTINA

State to pay half of private-sector wages in June

16-05-2020 09:43 Government to pay half the wages of almost two million private-sector workers, as it did in April.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation slowed to 1.5% in April amid nationwide lockdown

15-05-2020 02:18 Consumer prices rose 1.5% in April compared to March, a significant decrease from the previous monthly figure of 3.3%, the INDEC national statistics agency reported.

Coronavirus pandemic

Costlier food hits Latin America’s poor and adds to unrest risk

11-05-2020 13:03 A jump in food prices across Latin America is bringing added misery to the poorest families hit by the coronavirus pandemic and increasing the chance of social unrest.

WORLD

Martin Wolf: ‘This is potentially a hinge moment in history’

02-05-2020 08:25 Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator for the Financial Times, discusses the economic fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic, in an exclusive interview with Perfil’s Jorge Fontevecchia.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Bloomberg

Without access to credit, Argentina turns to its Central Bank

21-04-2020 14:27 Money supply is increasing as Argentina grapples with the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, stoking inflation fears and increasing the likelihood of a default next month.

TWO HOURS WITH THE PRESIDENT

Alberto Fernández: ‘Every time I speak, I’m saying the truth – I don’t lie’

18-04-2020 08:14 In a feature-length interview, Argentina's president addresses the coronavirus pandemic and opens up about his private life and relationship with both Peronism and Radicalism, explaining why he is more a child of hippie culture than Peronist doctrine.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation in March hit 3.3% amid lockdown, rise in food prices

15-04-2020 18:42 Consumer prices rose faster than expected in March as the country went into a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

MIGUEL ÁNGEL PESCE INTERVIEW

Miguel Pesce: ‘In this emergency, the mechanism is printing money’

11-04-2020 10:07 Central Bank chief Miguel Ángel Pesce on the economy, printing money, the coronavirus pandemic and the problems that lie ahead.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Argentina & the IMF

IMF to hold remote consultations with Argentina amid coronavirus pandemic

03-04-2020 11:21 The government announced this week that it intends to seek a new IMF programme that will allow the existing one to be refinanced until the country can tap debt markets again. The IMF’s normal yearly check-up, an Article IV review, will now likely take place remotely.

Coronavirus pandemic

President Fernández extends mandatory quarantine period until April 12

29-03-2020 22:55 Alberto Fernández praises citizens for complying with shutdown, announces "preventative and obligatory" quarantine period for all citizens will be extended until midnight on Sunday, April 12.

Coronavirus pandemic

Governors to meet President Fernández for talks on 'total quarantine'

19-03-2020 12:32 Reports suggest "total quarantine" being considered by president, who will meet with governors at 5pm at Olivos.

Coronavirus pandemic

Fernández vows to clamp down on virus price gouging

17-03-2020 12:04 Peronist president says he will put "AFIP to work against speculators," saying he will not "tolerate rogues taking us for fools."

Price increases

Inflation in February came in at 2%, the lowest in two years

12-03-2020 17:16 Prices increases slow to slowest in the last two years, according to INDEC. Inflation in last 12 months now totals 50.3%.

Economic indicators

Data shows businesses in Argentina cutting jobs amid crisis

09-03-2020 08:00 Argentina lost 28,500 private sector jobs in December, the worst monthly decline in four years, according to government data released on Thursday.

Bloomberg

Argentina faces catch-22 on peso debt bomb after swap tradeoff

06-03-2020 15:37 The local debt of 1.8 trillion pesos (US $29 billion) is an amount roughly equivalent to all the cash in circulation in the country.

AGRO POLICY

Farmers unions call four-day strike after rise in soy duties

05-03-2020 21:56 Four producers' unions say they will halt grain and livestock trading for four days and go on strike, starting from Monday, in response to a rise in duties imposed by President Alberto Fernández.

Price increases

Fernández asks private sector to help ‘contain’ inflation in Argentina

05-03-2020 16:01 President urges employers to “contain” price increases, in a effort to stabilise Argentina's runaway inflation rate, which reached 53.8% in 2019.

Interest rate cuts

Central Bank will continue lowering rates to curb inflation

04-03-2020 17:00 Central Bank plans to keep reducing its key interest rates further as inflation is expected to decelerate and as a tool to reduce debt costs.