* Chile’s central bank (BCCh) has reported a 1.1% decline in the monthly index of economic activity (Imacec), which is considered an advance estimate of GDP, in April, compared with the same month in 2022. This follows falls of 2.1% year-on-year in March and 0.5% in February after a 0.4% increase in January. In monthly seasonally adjusted terms, the Imacec for April was unchanged compared with the previous month. According to the BCCh, the annual variation of the Imacec in April is explained by drops in trade (down 7.7%), and, to a lesser extent, in the manufacturing industry (down 2.5%), although goods production was up 0.5%.