November 14: Argentina’s consumer prices rose 2.2% in October 2026 from September, and 33.1% from a year earlier, the national statistics institute INDEC said on November 12. Prices have risen 26.3% so far this year. Housing, water, electricity and gas led the monthly rise at 4.2%, while core inflation, which strips out regulated and seasonal prices, was 1.5%.
Key highlights
- Monthly inflation, October: 2.2%.
- Year-on-year: 33.1%.
- January–October: 26.3%.
- Core inflation: 1.5% for the month; regulated prices 2.9%; seasonal items 5.5%.
- Biggest rise: housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, up 4.2% in the month and 51.1% over the year.
What rose in October
| Category | Monthly change | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and fuels | 4.2% | 51.1% |
| Recreation and culture | 3.3% | — |
| Clothing and footwear | 2.2% | 10.0% |
| Transport | 2.1% | 34.4% |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 2.0% | 34.6% |
| Education | 1.3% | 39.4% |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 0.8% | — |
By region
| Region | Monthly | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Buenos Aires | 2.0% | 33.0% |
| Pampeana | 2.6% | 33.4% |
| Northeast | 1.5% | 35.9% |
| Northwest | 1.7% | 33.0% |
| Cuyo | 2.3% | 33.0% |
| Patagonia | 2.5% | 30.4% |
Our calculation
| Question | Answer | How we got it |
|---|---|---|
| What does 2.2% a month mean over a year? | About 30% if it continued | 1.022 compounded 12 times |
| Gap between seasonal and core inflation in October | 4.0 points | 5.5% − 1.5% |
| How much faster utilities rose than the average over the year | 18 points | 51.1% vs 33.1% |
What it means for India and Asia
Inflation in Argentina is still above 30% a year, and utility bills are rising faster than anything else. For India, Argentina matters as a supplier of lithium, which Indian state-owned companies have been exploring there, and of farm products such as soybean oil. Its price and currency swings affect the cost of those deals and the terms of trade with Asian buyers.
What to watch
- November inflation, due from INDEC in mid-December.
- Whether core inflation stays near 1.5% a month.
- Further adjustments to regulated utility prices.
Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires. Image: Raphael Henrique Figueira, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
- INDEC: Índice de precios al consumidor (IPC), October 2026 (PDF)
- PIB (Ministry of Mines): India and Argentina strengthen cooperation in lithium exploration and mining
The Business Desk covers markets, the economy, companies and personal finance. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
