Earlier this year, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina’s president, proffered some advice to European governments facing recession and market panic. Its essence was “stuff the IMF and carry on spending.” It is what she and her predecessor and husband, Néstor Kirchner, have practiced since 2003. Argentina is one of only a handful of countries that refuse all dealings with the IMF. Almost a decade after it defaulted on $90 billion of debt when its economy collapsed, it still has few financial ties with the world and very little bank credit. Yet contrary to repeated forecasts of doom from orthodox economists, the economy is roaring.
Argentina’s annual inflation rate in July rose to the highest level since May 2006, led by higher costs for leisure goods and clothing. Consumer prices increased 11.2% from a year earlier and 0.8% from June the national statistics institute Indec, said.
Argentina's trade surplus narrowed by 19% in June from the same month a year ago, falling short of market expectations as brisk economic growth fuelled demand for imports, according to official data released last week.
While most of South America is undergoing a deceleration of consumer prices Argentina and Venezuela are the only countries to experience a significant increase in inflation, making it one of the main concerns or public opinion.