LatinNews Daily - 04 August 2026

*Chile’s central bank (BCCh) has released the latest figures for its economic activity index (Imacec), showing a 2.4% year-on-year increase in June. This represents the first yearly rise in six months, easing fears the country was heading into a technical recession. In monthly terms, the Imacec was up by 0.6%. The rebound follows five consecutive months of year-on-year declines, with the Imacec falling by 0.9% in January, 0.3% in February, 0.2% in March, 1.2% in April, and 0.9% in May, driven largely by weaker copper output. The BCCh said June’s increase reflected growth in mining (+9.8% year-on-year), wholesale and retail trade (+5.4%), and services (+1.7%). Excluding mining, the Imacec grew 1.4% year-on-year. Economy and mining minister Daniel Mas wrote on X that the figures confirmed “the economy has resumed growth, and mining led this rebound”. He added that “we inherited a stagnant economy, but with management and greater certainty we are starting to reverse that trend,” calling the result “the first step on a long road”.

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