Economics
Virus Adds to Inflation Doubts at Key Time for Latin America
- Brazil, Chile, Argentina suspending in-person price surveys
- Changes may add to challenges for policy makers, private banks
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Latin America is poised to face months of heightened inflation uncertainty as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to overhaul data gathering methods.
Statistics agencies across the region are grappling with the challenge of collecting prices as many brick-and-mortar establishments shut their doors and researchers can’t go into the field due to restrictions on the movement of people. The obvious alternative -- seeking prices online -- comes with a number of drawbacks including low penetration of e-commerce in developing countries, which may cause inflation data distortions.