Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina’s annual inflation accelerated in October to the fastest pace since February, led by increases in tuition and clothing costs.

Prices climbed 6.5 percent last month from the same month a year earlier and 0.8 percent from September, the National Statistics Institute reported today in Buenos Aires.

The government’s numbers trail estimates by research company Ecolatina, which reported that prices climbed 14.1 percent in October from a year earlier and 1.3 percent from September.

Analysts and politicians such as Vice President Julio Cobos have questioned the official inflation reports, saying the national statistics agency has underreported price increases since former President Nestor Kirchner made personnel changes in 2007. The government has denied any manipulation.

“It’s really hard to fight inflation if we continue to lack real figures that could show how bad the problem is,” Javier Paz, an economist at Ecolatina, said in a telephone interview. “Argentines keep expecting prices to rise 20 percent in the next 12 months because the country doesn’t have a calculation of real inflation.”

Ecolatina forecasts inflation will slow to 14.5 percent this year from 23.5 percent in 2008. Inflation will quicken to 17 percent in 2010, Paz said.

In a bid to restore faith in the accuracy of its statistics, the government has appointed a board of academics to review the prices of goods and services that make up the inflation index. Economy Minister Amado Boudou said the review would put an end to questions about the data from the statistics agency, known as Indec.

“Investors could be tempted to assume that the manipulation of inflation figures is on the mend,” Boris Segura, an RBS Securities analyst, wrote in a report today. “We tend to disagree with such an interpretation. Accepting problems at Indec is likely to be politically embarrassing, and there is no indication that authorities are leaning in that direction.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Eliana Raszewski in Buenos Aires at eraszewski@bloomberg.net; Silvia Martinez in Buenos Aires at smartinez19@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 12, 2009 15:30 EST