YEREVAN, November 13. /ARKA/. Armenia may rank second in the world for the lowest inflation in 2024, according to an IMF study covering 236 countries.

Thus, the top five countries with the lowest inflation are Costa Rica (-0.3%), Armenia (0.2%), China (0.4%), Brunei Darussalam (0.5%), and Thailand (0.5%). Other countries expected to have low inflation this year include Cambodia (0.7%), Lithuania (0.9%), El Salvador (1%), Qatar (1%), Macau SAR (1.1%), Georgia (1.1%), and the Bahamas (1.1%).

The top five countries with the highest inflation are Zimbabwe (635.3%), Argentina (229.8%), Sudan (200.1%), South Sudan (120.6%), and Turkey (60.9%). Other countries with high inflation include Venezuela (59.6%), Sierra Leone (36.6%), Egypt (33.3%), Nigeria (32.5%), Iran (31.7%), and Malawi (30.6%).

In Armenia's state budget for 2024, inflation is projected at 4% (±1.5%). According to the latest data from the National Statistical Committee, inflation in Armenia's consumer market in September this year compared to September last year was 0.6%. The Central Bank's third-quarter monetary policy report forecasts inflation in Armenia to range between 2.1% and 2% by the end of 2024. The inflation forecast for 2025 is 4% to 3.2%, for 2026 – 4.2% to 3.8%, and for 2027 – 4%.

The World Bank expects inflation in Armenia to reach 3% in 2024, 3.5% in 2025, and 4% in 2026. The IMF forecasts a 0.2% increase in prices in 2024, followed by a 3.1% rise in 2025. According to ADB projections, inflation in Armenia will be 0.8% in 2024 and will accelerate to 2.5% in 2025. The EDB anticipates inflation in Armenia to reach 1.5% by the end of this year. -0-