He Consumer confidence index (ICC) rose 1.8% during March compared to February, while inflation expectations were reduced, according to a survey carried out by the Torcuato di Tella University (UTdT).
However, “This increase was not generalized in the different regions”since the CCI rose 7.92% in the Federal Capital, 3.49% in Greater Buenos Aires, “but it fell 2.97 in the Interior”always with respect to February, reported the Finance Research Center of the UTdT.
Even by income level, the CCI increased 5.29% for lower-level households, but fell 3.50% for higher-income households. This improvement in the ICC occurred at the same time a sharp reduction in inflation expected by the population for the next 12 months. In the February measurement it was 170.8%, and in the March measurement, carried out during the first fortnight of the month, it was 123.8%, according to the average.
By region, the Interior of the country once again showed the lowest annual inflation expectations with 111.2%, compared to 148.2% in the Federal Capital, and 140.7% in Greater Buenos Aires.
Regarding the February measurement, “the reduction in expected inflation was generalized, by region and by different income levels”highlighted the UTdT.
“An interesting aspect is that inflation expectations were very similar by income level, 122.2 and 127.7 for those at high and low levels, respectively” when in the previous measurements “Very disparate perceptions were observed between both groups.”
Regarding the expected inflation for March, it also fell, remaining at 15.46%, when in February it was 19.08%, the report noted. It is worth remembering that the government postponed the increases in energy rates until April so as not to affect the downward trend in inflation, which reached 25.5% in December, 20.6 in January, and 13.2 in February, a A figure that few consider can decrease if there are increases in regulated services.
