Argentina’s poverty rate rebounds to 32.3% as inflation outpaces wage growth
Official data released on Thursday shows Argentina’s poverty rate rose to 32.3% in the first half of 2026, up from 28.2% in the previous six months. Extreme poverty increased to 7.5% from 6.3%. Children aged 14 and under were most affected, with 44.5% classified as poor. The rise follows a period of significant reduction in poverty under President Javier Milei, who previously cut the rate from a peak of 52.9% in early 2024. The recent increase coincides with a rebound in inflation at the start of the year, although inflation fell to 1.7% in August. Economists attribute the rise to job insecurity, informal work, and the impact of opening the economy to foreign competition, which has led to job losses in manufacturing and retail.
