Argentina, seeking to rebuild relations with foreign investors,will unveil a new consumer price index this week that probably willacknowledge something the government has denied for seven years:that it systematically underestimated inflation.

The nationwide index released on Feb. 13 will replace thebenchmark greater Buenos Aires index that has shown inflation atless than half the pace of private estimates since 2007, whenformer President Nestor Kirchner replaced senior staff at thestatistics agency. The move comes a year after Argentina became thefirst nation to be censured by the International Monetary Fund forfailing to report accurate economic data.

All 10 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg said the new index willshow consumer prices are rising more than previously reported bythe government, though not as much as 28.4 percent estimated byprivate economists for December. Only half said the changes wouldbe enough to placate the IMF, a first step to restoring relationswith international investors following a $95 billion default in2001.