Guatemala Inflation Hits 4.69% in September
Guatemala’s inflation jumped to 4.69% in September, driven by food and fuel, just inside the central bank’s 3% to 5% band as fuel tax relief begins. The post Guatemala Inflation Hits 4.69% in September appeared first on The Rio Times .
Guatemala's inflation rate reached 4.69% in September 2026, marking the highest level since October 2023, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE) and the Banco de Guatemala. This increase follows a 1.18% rise in September alone, the largest monthly rise for a September since 2012. The annual inflation rate from January to September totaled 4.17%, driven primarily by higher prices in the food, transport, and gasoline sectors.
The Monetary Board maintained its policy rate at 3.50% on September 23, 2026, amid concerns about upside risks from high fuel prices and the El Niño weather pattern. Congress recently exempted value-added tax and fuel tax on gasoline and diesel from October to December 2026, which could affect the October inflation figure. The exemption, set to run from October 1 to December 31, 2026, will reduce the fiscal cost to Q3.32 billion (about US$434 million) but the impact on pump prices remains uncertain.
The relief aims to mitigate the strain on Guatemalan households reliant on remittances from the United States and to stabilize consumer prices.
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