Argentines See Prices Rising 30% Over Next 12 Months, Poll Says

Argentines see consumer prices rising 30 percent over the next 12 months, the same as last month’s survey, according to the Buenos Aires-based Torcuato Di Tella University.

The estimate is almost three times the 10.6 percent inflation rate reported by the national statistics institute for November. Argentina’s official statistics have been questioned by the International Monetary Fund and private economists since early 2007, when then-President Nestor Kirchner made personnel changes at the agency.

Argentina is on track to be the first country to be censured by the Washington-based fund for not preparing accurate data about inflation and economic growth. The procedure could end in expulsion from the organization.

The IMF’s board in September called on the government to implement remedial measures “without delay.”

Yesterday, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde presented a report on Argentina’s progress to the executive board, leaving it to decide next month whether to censure the South American country.

The poll released by Di Tella University was based on responses by 1,201 people consulted by Poliarquia Consultores pollster from Dec. 1 to Dec. 14 and has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

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

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Joshua Goodman at jgoodman19@bloomberg.net