According to a private report, in the fourth week of October, food prices rose by 1.7%, breaking the deflation of 0.1% recorded in the third week. The consulting firm LCG noted that this increase was the highest since the first week of July. During this period, fruits increased by 5.7%, dairy products and eggs by 4.6%, and beverages and infusions by 4.2%. In contrast, the products that showed the greatest decrease were oils (-4.6%), condiments and other food products (-2.3%), and ready-to-eat meals (-1.3%).
The average monthly increase in food prices was 2.3%, while the "point-to-point" measurement over four weeks reached 3.3%. Although the number of products without price variation remained the same, there was a 4 percentage point increase in products with price increases, while those with reductions fell by 3 percentage points.
In this context, the consulting firm Eco Go, led by Marina Dal Poggetto, indicated that food prices registered a 3.2% increase in the third week of October, projecting a monthly variation of 3%. The consulting firm highlighted that the lower increase in food compared to expectations was offset by larger increases in other categories.
Regarding inflation projections for October, according to the Market Expectations Survey (REM), City experts estimate a monthly increase of 3.4%, slightly above the forecasts from the Casa Rosada. For November, inflation is expected to be 3.3%, and 3.6% in December, with a minimal rebound. For the total of 2024, an annual change of 123.6% was set, decreasing by 0.1 percentage points.
Despite previous studies suggesting a potential inflation below 3% for October, the most recent measurements have shown a different landscape. The consulting firm LCG revealed that food prices saw a significant increase, which has raised inflationary expectations for the month. Other entities such as PriceStats and Libertad y Progreso have also recorded increases in inflation indices, indicating a possible deviation from previous estimates.
