Argentina’s GDP shrank 0.8% y-o-y in the 3Q14 on the back of a fall in exports, investments and private consumption. Exports fell by 8.4% y-o-y and imports dropped by 15.2% y-o-y, according to preliminary estimates. Gross fixed capital formation decreased by 4.7% y-o-y and private consumption shrank by 1.4% y-o-y. In contrast, government expenditure rose 1% y-o-y.
In Chile, the central bank left the monetary policy interest rate on hold at 3% in December. The economy there is experiencing a slowing momentum on the back of a fall in capital expenditures of around 10% y-o-y in the 3Q14. This fall was led by a nearly 25% drop in investment on machinery and equipment. The GDP contracted 0.8% in the 3Q, following growth of 2.7% and 1.9% in the 1Q and the 2Q, respectively.