Argentina's inequality widens as inflation eases but unemployment spikes

Argentina’s latest economic data show a deepening of income inequality. The Gini coefficient reached 0.442 in the first quarter of 2026, the highest level in two years, while the top 10 % of earners receive roughly 13 times the income of the bottom 10 %. Women’s average earnings remain about 29 % lower than men’s, and informal workers earn roughly half of formally‑employed peers.

Consumer prices slowed in May 2026, with monthly inflation at 2.1 % – the lowest in eight months – but the year‑to‑date rise was 14.7 % and the twelve‑month increase stood at 33.2 %. Price gains were strongest in communications and education, while beverages and apparel saw modest rises.

Unemployment edged down to 7.8 % in Q1 2026, yet the share of jobless workers from manufacturing rose sharply from 7.3 % to 13.3 % of the unemployed pool. Overall informal employment grew to 44.2 % of the labour force, indicating deteriorating job quality. The INDEC’s salary index rose 3.7 % month‑on‑month and 36.9 % year‑on‑year in April, but wage growth has not closed the gap between high‑ and low‑income groups.