In July, consumer prices in Chile posted only a modest gain as cheaper fuel at the beginning of the month provided some relief for one of Latin America's wealthiest economies.
Andres Abadia, Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief Latin America economist, said the fresh figures show price growth is settling down after the earlier supply-side shocks. "The key story here is that disinflation has resumed," he said.
Policymakers have kept the benchmark interest rate at 4.5% throughout 2025 while waiting for inflation to move back to the 3% target. July's data fit that cautious approach, showing progress without a decisive break below target.
State oil refiner Enap lowered gasoline and diesel prices on July 9, trimming about 100 pesos ($0.11) from the per-liter cost of gasoline and about 150 pesos from diesel. That reduction in fuel costs early in the month helped ease overall inflation.
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At their July 28 meeting, Chile's monetary policymakers held borrowing costs at 4.5%. The decision came as officials weighed the risk that a renewed escalation of the Middle East conflict could keep oil prices volatile against the drag from high unemployment and tepid economic activity on living-cost pressures.
In the minutes of the July 28 meeting, policymakers wrote that uncertainty around Chile's economic outlook is high, particularly because Middle East tensions persist. Domestically, consumption expectations have weakened markedly, while the recent softness in investment came as a surprise, they said.
The policy stance reflects a balancing act. Weak demand and elevated unemployment are taking some strain off prices, but energy markets remain vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. With consumption expectations softening and investment coming in weaker than expected, the central bank sees little reason to move the rate until inflation is more clearly on track. That mix of muted domestic momentum and external risk helps explain the board's reluctance to signal any near-term change.
Central bank forecasts published in June expect annual inflation to return to the 3% target during the second quarter of next year. In a separate survey conducted by the central bank, analysts project consumer price gains of 3% two years from now. That alignment suggests decision-makers and private-sector forecasters expect a similarly slow path back to target, supporting the case for keeping the key interest rate unchanged for now. The latest inflation report reinforces the central bank's patient stance: fuel-price declines helped offset still-rising food costs, while persistent risks tied to energy markets and weak domestic demand remain in focus.
The policy calculation also reflects the central bank's own description of the economy. Together, those conditions help explain why the board has kept rates at 4.5% all year.
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