Chile’s economy has contracted for three consecutive quarters, with significant weakness in household consumption and decline in investments. The last negative figure was reported last week by the Central Bank, showing GDP contracted by -1.1% over the same period between April and June 2023. previous year.
Chile recorded a 0.1% decrease in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of February of 2023 for an interannual 11.9% increase, the National Statistics Institute (INE) reported in Santiago Wednesday. It was the first negative monthly variation since November 2020.
After the US dollar in Chile broke the milestone exchange rate of a thousand Pesos in June, the Central Bank reacted by announcing it will literally flood the market with 25bn dollars, of which 10bn to be supplied to the spot market, another 10bn covering future dollar operations, and 5bn in swap deals.
The Chilean Central Bank's Monetary Policy meeting on Tuesday raised the reference interest rate 125 base points to 4%, the highest since June 2014. The decision came as no surprise for markets since the bank is determined to contain inflation, (6,7% in the twelve months to November) and anticipated it will continue on the path for as long as necessary.
Chile's Monetary Policy Group, GPM, recommended on Tuesday that the Central Bank raises 100 points the Monetary Policy Rate, taking it from the current 1,5% to 2,5%, because of an upsurge of inflation and to safeguard the macroeconomic stability of the country.
The Chilean central bank made public on Friday its latest Survey of Financial Operators, ahead of the Monetary Policy meeting scheduled to take place next Tuesday when most market analysts anticipate the bank will decide on a 25 points increase to its basic Monetary Policy rate from 0,75% to 1%.
Chilean Central Bank board members decided unanimously to increase the reference inter-bank interest rate some 25 base points to 0.75%, which represents the first rise in over two and a half years, given the improved economic prospects since the pandemic was triggered.
The Chilean central bank said on Wednesday that the economy of the world’s top copper producer would contract between 5.5% and 7.5% in 2020, taking it to the lowest levels since the Latin American debt crisis of the 1980s.
Chile’s government reached a deal with opposition lawmakers for a US$ 12 billion stimulus package over the weekend as infections hit a record and the health minister quit.
Chile's economy contracted 3.4% in October from the same month a year ago, the central bank said, posting the single biggest drop in a decade as weeks of violent protests began sending shockwaves through the Chilean economy.