BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's monthly inflation rate stood at 4.2% in May, official data published on Thursday shows, landing below a Reuters poll forecast of 4.9% and slowing down from April's rate of 8.8%.

Inflation in the 12 months through May, meanwhile, landed at 276.4%, also below a poll forecast of 279.4%.

(Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Hernan Nessi; Editing by Valentine Hilaire)