Fifteen months after the beginning of the health and economic crisis, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua are the economies in the region with the highest inflation rates, a behavior that was influenced by increases in fuel and transportation costs.
In the second quarter of 2020, a period in which the countries of the region were going through a severe economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, inflation levels were low and in some economies negative variations were reported.
After the Economic Activity Confidence Index reported a 19% drop in March 2020, in April the situation worsened with a -43% year-on-year variation, a drop that agrees with the advance of the health crisis in the country.
In April 2020, the level of the Economic Activity Confidence Index stood at 32.64 points, 43.25% lower than that recorded in March 2020 (57.52 points) and fell by 26.83% compared to April 2019 (44.61 points), reported the Bank of Guatemala.
During December 2019, the CPI registered a 3.4% variation with respect to the same month of the previous year, an inflationary rhythm higher than the 2.3% reported at the end of 2018.
The most important inflation levels of December 2019 are the following: a monthly inflation of 0.60% was registered, an inflationary rhythm of 3.41% and an accumulated inflation of 3.41%, informed the National Statistics Institute (INE).
During November, the CPI registered a 2.9% variation with respect to the same month of 2018, an inflationary rhythm higher than the 4.2% rate reported in October.
The most important inflation levels in November 2019 are as follows: 0.44% monthly inflation, 2.92% inflation and 2.79% accumulated inflation, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
After falling from 4.4% to 1.8% between July and September 2019, during October the price growth rate was 2.2%.
Out of the twelve spending divisions that make up the Consumer Price Index (CPI), food (1.62%), transportation (0.79%), recreation (0.45%), reflect the rise in the general price level of inflation to October 2019, reported the National Statistics Institute.
For the third consecutive month, the inflationary rate in Guatemala decelerated, since the year-on-year variations reported by the Consumer Price Index during July, August and September, were of 4.4%, 3% and 1.8%, respectively.
The most important inflation levels in September 2019 are as follows: monthly inflation of -0.58%, inflationary rate of 1.80% and accumulated inflation of 1.63%, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Avoiding hurried discounts, managing price increases according to costs and improving cash flow are some of the strategies that companies can resort to protect their profitability in contexts of inflation and recession.
Ariel Baños, a price management specialist and founder of Fijciondeprecios.com, explains four strategies for maintaining profitability when companies face scenarios of rising prices and low dynamism in economic activity.
Between June and July of this year, the inflationary rhythm in Guatemala decreased from 4.8% to 4.4%, mainly because of the variations in the prices of alcoholic beverages and food.
The most important inflation levels in July 2019 are as follows: -0.06% monthly inflation, 4.37% inflationary rhythm and 3.11% accumulated inflation, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Making real sales projections, segmenting prices and designing savings options are some of the strategies that companies can use to protect their profitability in contexts of inflation and recession.
Ariel Baños, price management specialist and founder of Fijciondeprecios.com, details techniques that could help companies avoid negative effects on their finances, when faced with scenarios of rising prices and low dynamism in economic activity.
After registering a 4.5% year-on-year variation in the Consumer Price Index in May, in June the inflationary rhythm rose to 4.8%.
The most important inflation levels in June 2019 are as follows: 0.83% monthly inflation, 4.80% inflationary rhythm and 3.17% accumulated inflation, reported the National Statistics Institute.
After recording a 4.8% year-on-year variation in the CPI in April, the inflation rate dropped to 4.5% in May.
Monthly inflation (0.26%), shows a slowdown compared to May of the previous year (0.47%), while the accumulated (2.33%), and year-on-year (4.54%), show an acceleration compared to the same month last year, according to the report of the National Statistics Institute.
After March 2019, the year-on-year variation of the country's Consumer Price Index stood at 4.2%, in April it reached 4.8%, a rise explained by transportation prices.
The inflationary rhythm in April 2019 (4.75%) increased 0.83% regarding the observed in the same month of the previous year (3.92%). And compared to March 2019 (4.17%) it rose 0.58%, reported the National Statistics Institute.
For the second consecutive month, Transportation was the spending division that explained most of the rise in the Consumer Price Index, reported to March 2019.
The most important inflation levels of March 2019 are the following: monthly inflation of -0.04%, inflationary rhythm of 4.17% and accumulated inflation of 1.44%, informed the National Statistics Institute (INE).
During the second month of the year, transportation and recreation were some of the spending divisions that caused the rise of the CPI in the country.
The most important inflation levels of February 2019 are the following: monthly inflation of 0.14%, inflationary rhythm of 4.46% and accumulated inflation of 1.49%, informed the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Up to January 2019 in Guatemala the year-on-year variation of the CPI was almost 4%, well above the rate of 2.3% registered at the end of 2018.
The most important inflation levels in January 2019 are as follows: monthly inflation of 1.35%, inflationary rhythm of 4.10% and accumulated inflation of 1.35% were registered, reported the National Statistics Institute (INE).