Economic growth still lagging in first semester of 2026
Private consultants say that primary sector exports were unable to counter the backslide linked to domestic consumption La entrada Economic growth still lagging in first semester of 2026 se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald .
In the first half of 2026, Argentina's economy has remained stagnant in most sectors, with only the primary sector - energy, mining, and agriculture - showing resilience due to record exports. Research centers estimate that the monthly growth rate for June was 0.4%, while the year-over-year growth was 1.9%. However, the cumulative growth for the first six months of the year is just 0.1%.
Economic investment declined by 6.2% year-over-year in June, and the decline for the first half of the year is 7.6%. Consulting firms report a 0.1% economic activity growth in June, with a 0.5% decline in the first half of the year. The mining sector experienced significant growth, driven by increased demand for lithium, gold, and silver.
However, manufacturing and construction sectors continued to decline. If primary sectors were not a major contributor, the overall economic activity would have decreased by 0.2%. Experts predict a mild upward trend in economic activity for the second half of the year, driven by the primary sector's momentum. However, the International Monetary Fund's growth projection for Argentina in 2026 is significantly lower than the 3.5% growth rate initially expected.
Written by urgent.news from Buenos Aires Herald's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
