Experts expect the Central Bank to maintain a 6.25% interest rate

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SANTIAGO. - Analysts participating in the February Economic Expectations Survey have indicated that a decision of whether or not to keep the interest rate at 6.25% could be on the Central Bank’s agenda for their monetary policy meeting this afternoon.

Additionally, the experts are predicting the rate to stay at its current level for the next two months, but to be at approximately 6% by December of this year.

Regarding inflation, the analysts have lowered most of their forecasts, predicting no change in the CPI for February of this year and forecasting a lower inflation rate of 3.8% for December of 2008, compared to their previous estimate of 4%.

The group has also lowered the CPI forecast for December of 2009, from 3.3% reported by the previous poll, to 3.2% indicated by the most recent survey.