The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday raised its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for Chile, setting the estimate at 2.4% for 2026. The adjustment is part of the financial institution's updated World Economic Outlook report.
This new figure represents an improvement over the October 2025 forecast, when the international organization had lowered the country's growth expectations to 2%. That 2% estimate remained unchanged in the report issued in January of this year.
The report also projects a strengthening of economic activity in the near future, with the IMF estimating that the Chilean economy will reach a growth rate of 2.6% in 2027.
Labor market and inflation
Regarding the labor market, the international organization anticipates a reduction in unemployment levels. The IMF projects that the country's unemployment rate will stand at 8.1% this year.
For 2027, the international entity anticipates an improvement in this indicator, estimating that unemployment will fall to 7.6%.
Regarding price stability, the report detailed the expected behavior of inflation in the short and medium term. The IMF forecasts that inflation will rise to 2.9% during 2026.
For 2027, the organization estimates that price variation will reach 3.3%.
These estimates constitute the financial institution's first projections since the start of José Antonio Kast's administration. The data presented by the IMF shows a more optimistic scenario than the figures provided by local authorities.
The Central Bank of Chile had lowered its own growth projection for 2026 last March, setting its expectation within a range of 1.5% to 2.5% for the same period.