
Argentina's National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec) announced Wednesday that inflation for the month of August had reached 12.4% for a total of 124.4% in the last 12 months. The highest monthly rate in over 32 years came after the Aug. 14 devaluation of the Argentine peso. So far in 2023, the Consumer Price Index has accumulated an increase of 80.2%.

The Peruvian administration of President Dina Boluarte pledged to use the proceeds from a US$ 20 million debt swap with the United States for climate action in the Amazon to finance a tropical forest protection fund over the next 13 years, it was reported Wednesday in Lima. It is the third debt-for-nature swap between the two governments.

China’s exports and imports sank again in August, data showed, as the world’s second-largest economy struggles with sluggish global demand and a wider slowdown. However, the pace of contraction slowed from the previous month and was not as bad as feared.

Argentina's Economy Minister and presidential candidate Sergio Massa Thursday announced the lifting of all export taxes to the sales abroad of regional economy products with added value, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The measure favors the agro-industrial sector which features over 1,200,000 registered workers.

By Rodrigo Valdes, IMF Director of the Western Hemisphere Department
The region, which successfully navigated economic turmoil, now must boost inclusive growth, reduce debt, and capitalize on new opportunities. Praise for policies implemented by the LA5 Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and also Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Paraguay and Costa Rica.

Overwhelmed by its financial problems and lack of foreign currency, which seriously limits international trade, there is an increasing position among some Argentine government theorists that Brazil's better performance could help its Mercosur partner with loans and other credit instruments to keep the country's activity going and safeguarding jobs.

The latest report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) released Tuesday in Santiago foresees low regional growth for at least the next two years. For 2023, the organization projects a 1.7% increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while in 2024 it would fall to 1.5%, while the world's GDP is expected to grow by 3% in 2023 and 2024, down from 3.5% in 2022.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has said interest rates are close to their peak, but that they may still have further to rise. He told MPs on Wednesday we are much nearer now to the top of the cycle of rate rises.

Car manufacturing in Argentina grew year-on-year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Association of Automotive Manufacturers (Adefa), which showed production reached 408,486 units, 19.5% higher than the 341,788 units from the same period of 2022. Adefa also said 63,455 vehicles were built in August, 17.4% more than in the same month of 2022 and 28.8% above July's figures.

Chile's Central Bank Council agreed unanimously Tuesday to lower the basic interest rate from 10.25 to 9.5% given the reduction in global inflation, it was reported in Santiago.