Chile: Business sentiment rises in February
The business confidence index (IMCE), published by ICARE and the Adolfo Ibáñez University, rose to 43.9 points in February from 40.7 points in January. Nevertheless, the index remained below the crucial 50-point threshold that separates pessimism from optimism among Chilean businesses.
In February, sentiment in the construction and industrial sectors grew less gloomy, while confidence in the commerce sector remained negative and broadly unchanged from January. Meanwhile, optimism in the mining sector was stable from a month prior, despite lower copper prices.