Argentina’s Investment Rate Slips to 14% of GDP as RIGI Lags
Fixed capital investment in Argentina slipped to 14.3% of GDP in the first quarter of 2026. Approved large-investment incentive projects total US$47 billion, but only a fraction is being built. The post Argentina’s Investment Rate Slips to 14% of GDP as RIGI Lags appeared first on The Rio Times .
Argentina's investment rate in the first quarter of 2026 fell to 14.3% of its GDP, according to the latest national accounts. This figure, released by the country's official statistics agency INDEC, reflects gross fixed capital formation, which includes machinery, transport equipment, construction, and other fixed assets. However, the 14.3% reading is based on current prices, and at constant 2004 prices, the same quarter shows an investment rate of 17.2% of GDP.
Mariana Camino, an economist, noted that a level near 25% is needed for steady economic growth. The investment rate has been falling since 2004 and reached its lowest point in 2017, with an average of 16.5% of GDP across 2004 to 2025. First quarters typically show weaker investment than other periods, and Argentina's first-quarter investment dropped from 16.2% in 2025 to 14.3%.
The investment rate in the first quarter of 2026 was 16.6% of GDP for all of 2025 and 16.3% for 2024. The Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones (RIGI), or Large Investment Incentive Regime, was created in July 2024 to target projects of at least US$200 million. The regime offers tax benefits, including a 25% corporate income tax rate and tax holidays for approved sponsors.
As of the latest figures, 22 projects worth US$47.073 billion have been approved under RIGI, providing an estimated 95,950 direct and indirect jobs.
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