Two surveys of business leaders in Argentina indicate that diminished consumer spending and uncertainty regarding the timeline for economic recovery are emerging as significant concerns for the sector. One of the reports is the Business Climate Index, a survey that assesses the perceptions of business leaders regarding the business environment, the performance of their companies, … Read more
Credit served as the primary catalyst for the increase in consumption that Argentina experienced in late 2024 and early 2025. However, beginning in the previous year, that trend experienced a gradual deceleration and ultimately reversed, influenced by fluctuating interest rates and a significant increase in household defaults. Since then, Javier Milei’s government has not experienced … Read more
One of the pillars of Argentina’s economy, consumer spending, has continued to stagnate, which can be explained by the fact that the majority of incomes in the country’s formal economy have not yet returned to their pre-President Javier Milei levels. In its most recent report, Nadín Argañaraz examined the six primary sources of income within … Read more
The Argentine minimum wage has served as a historic benchmark for salary negotiations within both the formal and informal sectors of the economy. That benchmark, however, has undergone significant alterations since President Javier Milei assumed office in December 2023. Since then, the SMVM has undergone a consistent decrease in purchasing power and is presently at … Read more
In May, delinquency rates among Argentine households increased for the 19th consecutive month, approaching 13% of total household credit. At non-financial institutions such as fintech companies and digital wallets, that figure surpasses 32% — a record high in both instances. The data originates from a report utilising official statistics provided by consulting firm 1816, which … Read more
The utility-rate adjustment implemented by Javier Milei’s government has significantly diminished the purchasing power of lower-income households, thereby hindering the recovery in domestic consumption — and consequently, in economic activity. Utilities have experienced a significant increase, surpassing the average inflation rate since Milei assumed office. The Interdisciplinary Institute of Political Economy has projected that from … Read more
Private consumption persisted in its downward trajectory in May, contracting by 0.3% month-on-month and 2.2% year-on-year, marking the sixth consecutive annual decline, as reported. In the first five months of 2026, the total decrease was 1.8%. In this context, supermarkets and wholesale retailers have identified inadequate demand as the primary obstacle to expanding their operations, … Read more
Following the unprecedented reading in March, private analysts anticipate a contraction this month, driven by declining industrial output, subdued consumption, and a sluggish soybean harvest that is expected to hinder overall activity. Even as Javier Milei’s government emphasised March’s significant increase in economic activity — an all-time high — most private indicators concur that the … Read more
Recent private surveys indicate that consumer spending remains stagnant, raising concerns about the economic recovery that President Javier Milei has been forecasting for the upcoming months. In April, retail sales experienced a decline of 3.2% compared to the same month last year, and a decrease of 1.3% relative to the preceding month, as reported by … Read more
Consumption in Argentina exhibited improvement last year, although it experienced a deceleration in November and December, according to a recent report. Data indicates that consumption increased by 2.5 percent in 2025 relative to the prior year, even as it experienced a decline in December for the second consecutive month. The Consumption Indicator compiled by CAC … Read more
