BUENOS AIRES, March 17 (Reuters) - Argentina's inflation
rate slowed to 3.4 percent in February from 3.7 percent in
January, the government said on Monday, after unveiling the
second monthly reading of a new consumer price index measure
aimed at improving the accuracy of the ofifical data in Latin
America's No. 3 economy.
Market watchers had expected a February inflation rate of
4.2 percent, according to the median forecast of seven analysts
and experts polled by Reuters.
The February figure was released by Economy Minister Axel
Kicillof, after a lengthy explanation of the new methodology
used in the consumer price index.
The Argentine government drew up the new index last year
after being censured by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
for low-balling consumer prices data.
President Cristina Fernandez's administration had been
criticized by investors as well as the IMF for publishing
inaccurate data. Business leaders accused her government of
manipulating figures since early 2007 in a bid to reduce the
country's payments on its inflation-indexed debt.