These results are above market expectations. A previous poll carried out by Reuters had produced an estimate with an annual rate of 7.89%.
Subjacent inflation –considered a better parameter of inflation in the long term, by excluding the most volatile prices- grew 0.71% at a monthly rate and 8.45% at an annual rate, which was also above estimates, as the market expected an increase of 8.41% per year.
Within the underlying index, the prices of merchandise increased 0.91% at the monthly rate and those of services, 0.48%.
For its part, non-core inflation rose 0.57% monthly and 6.32% at the annual rate. And, within this index, the prices of agricultural products grew 0.51% and energy and tariffs authorized by the government 0.62% at a monthly rate.
Headline inflation rose for the second consecutive month, after registering an annual rate of 7.82% in December.
Tacos and cigars go up
Among the products that increased in price the most are lunch boxes, inns, cake shops and taco shops (1.56% monthly), cigarettes (4.76%), low-octane gasoline (0.88%), bananas (17.15%), soft drinks packaged (1.64%), own housing (0.34%), chicken (1.62%), among others.
And, on the other hand, the products that fell in price were air transport, with a monthly decrease of 24.47%, packaged tourist services (-11.13%), serrano chili (-13.47%) and LP domestic gas ( -1.29%).
