August inflation: When the national figure will be released and what Buenos Aires City’s 1.7% signals

August inflation will be one of the week’s key economic figures, as Argentina waits for the national consumer price index from INDEC. Buenos Aires City has already reported a sharp slowdown, with prices rising 1.7% in August compared with 2.9% in July.

The city’s figure also came close to the 1.8% recorded in June. It now serves as an early reference point for the national result, which INDEC will publish on Thursday. Private consulting firms expect national inflation to range between 1.4% and 1.9%, below July’s 2.1% increase.

The city’s consumer price index rose 21.5% during the first eight months of the year and 33.3% over 12 months. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels recorded the largest increase among the listed categories, at 2.6%. Health rose 1.9%, food and beverages 1.8%, and transport 1.2%.

Within food, fruit prices climbed 12.5%, fish rose 4% and bread and cereals increased 2.3%. Clothing and footwear fell 0.7%, while restaurants and hotels recorded a 0.1% decline. If the private forecasts are confirmed, national inflation would fall below 2% in August.