Argentina and Mexico retail sales slump amid heat and weak demand

In Argentina, clothing retailers reported a 6.9% drop in sales for the May‑June period compared with March‑April, according to the CIAI survey of the Argentine Clothing Chamber. More than half of the firms (55%) saw lower sales, and layoffs accounted for 27% of the cost‑cutting measures, up 7 points from the previous bimonthly period.

In Empalme, Sonora, Mexico, local merchants said sales have fallen as much as 50% during the June‑August "piojo" season. Business leaders, including Alfredo Oceguera Mendoza of the National Chamber of Commerce, attributed the slump to extreme heat and reduced consumer cash flow, noting that activity may improve after September when agricultural work resumes.