MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile's CPI grows 0.4% in September

Chile is also the wealthiest country in Latin America in net financial assets per capita

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Chile rose 0.4% in September, matching analyst expectations. This monthly increase caused the 12-month inflation rate to accelerate to 4.4%.

Major price increases stemmed from the food and non-alcoholic beverages division (0.8%, led by tomatoes at 19% and bread at 1.7%) and recreation, sports, and culture (1.3%, led by international tourist packages at 8.5%).

On the other hand, information and communications saw a decrease of 0.2%, mainly due to falling prices for subscriptions to audiovisual content (-1.8%) and TV sets (-1.7%).

In this context, the World Bank raised Chile's GDP growth forecast for this year to 2.6%, an improvement from its previous 2.1% estimate. The bank attributed this adjustment to stronger private consumption and mining exports. The forecast for next year (2026) remains steady at 2.2%.

Latin America is projected to grow 2.3% this year and 2.5% in 2026, facing challenges like high debt, persistent inflation, and global uncertainty.

The World Bank proposed three pillars to boost regional growth: investing in human capital, supporting regulatory reforms, and expanding access to financing.

According to the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2025, Chile is the wealthiest country in Latin America, leading the region in net financial assets per capita.

Chile registered US$21,229 in net financial assets, ranking 34th globally and entering the top 50. The other Latin American countries in that list were Mexico (43rd), Brazil (45th), and Colombia (49th). Globally, the ranking was led by the United States, Switzerland, and Singapore.