Chile Business Confidence Falls Below 50 in April — Pessimism Threshold Crossed

Chile's business confidence index fell to 49.3 in April 2026 — down from 50.4 in March — crossing below the 50-point threshold that separates optimistic from pessimistic business sentiment, according to data released May 1 by FocusEconomics. The drop reflected growing concern among Chilean executives about the economic outlook under the Kast administration, including fuel price shocks (gasoline +32%, diesel +62% in March), uncertainty about fiscal austerity, and risks to domestic demand from consumer purchasing power erosion. This marked the first below-50 reading in four months and complicated the new government's narrative of business confidence renewal.