Argentina's June PYME retail sales rise 0.9% but semester falls 2.5%

The Confederación Argentina de la Mediana Empresa (CAME) reported that retail sales of small and medium‑sized enterprises (PYME) in June 2026 increased 0.9 % year‑on‑year, the first positive annual change since April 2025. The uplift was attributed to the temporary liquidity boost from the Sueldo Anual Complementario (mid‑year bonus) and heightened consumer activity around the 2026 World Cup. Despite the annual gain, sales slipped 1.3 % month‑on‑month, leaving a cumulative 2.5 % contraction for the first half of the year.

Four of the seven surveyed sectors posted inter‑annual growth: perfumery (+9.5 %), pharmacy (+5.4 %), food and beverages (+2.9 %) and textile & apparel (+1.9 %). The three sectors that declined were bazar/decor & furniture (‑3.1 %), hardware and construction materials (‑2 %) and footwear & leather goods (‑1 %). Online sales by brick‑and‑mortar merchants jumped 16.7 % year‑on‑year and 4.1 % month‑on‑month.

Half of the merchants said their economic situation remained stable compared with a year ago; 59.3 % consider the current environment adverse for investment, while 52.3 % expect activity to stay unchanged over the next twelve months. Regional reports from northern provinces (Chaco, Jujuy, Salta, Formosa) echo the national trend, citing reduced purchasing power and higher tax burdens as additional constraints.