Inflation in Argentina Spiked After Shock Primary Election

(Bloomberg) -- Prices in Argentina shot up last month after a shocking primary vote plunged the peso, reversing four months of declines.

Inflation hit 4% in August compared to July and 54.5% from a year ago, according to government data published Thursday. The monthly figure was below economists’ estimate of 4.4%, but marked the fastest pace since last March.

President Mauricio Macri’s huge loss in the Aug. 11 primary to opposition candidate Alberto Fernandez sparked a massive selloff in Argentine assets. Investors fear Fernandez will undo Macri’s market-friendly stance and implement a populist economic agenda. The official vote is Oct. 27.

The peso fell 26% in August, forcing the government to delay debt payments and implement capital controls. Still, prices could rise even more in September because of a lag between the peso’s weakening and price adjustments, economists say. Analysts see September inflation at 5.8%, according to the central bank’s most recent monthly survey.

“September will be worse for inflation because the full pass-through to prices from the peso’s fall will be felt,” said Matias Carugati, an economist based in Buenos Aires. “The currency depreciation hit relatively late in August.”

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