Buenos Aires, March 17 (NA) -- Wholesale inflation slowed again in February and stood at 1%, marking the second consecutive month the indicator has decelerated, according to a report this afternoon from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC). According to the Argentine News Agency, this increase in the indicator was the second lowest since May 2025 (when it had recorded a drop of 0.3%). It is also the third time since June 2020 that the Wholesale Internal Price Index (IPIM) has shown a monthly variation of 1% or less. In year-on-year terms, it accumulated an increase of 25.6%, while in the first two-month period it rose by 2.7%. The deceleration of the IPIM is a consequence of the 1.3% rise in national products and the 2.7% drop in imported goods. Among national products, the categories with the greatest impact were crude oil and gas (0.27%); food and beverages (0.26%); agricultural products (0.24%); refined petroleum products (0.23%); and electricity (0.12%). On the other hand, the general level of the Basic Internal Wholesale Price Index (IPIB) showed a 0.7% monthly increase, explained by the 0.9% rise in national products and the 2.6% drop in imported goods. Similarly, the general level of the Producer Price Index (IPP) recorded an increase of 0.7% in the same period, due to the 1% rise in primary products and 0.6% in manufactured goods and electricity. In contrast, the Consumer Price Index (IPC) closed February with a variation of 2.9% and has been on the rise since August 2025. February inflation was 2.9% and accumulated 5.9% in the first two-month period.
