Chilean government upbeat over economic goals for 2004

The Chilean government underscored today its optimism toward economic projections for the ongoing year with GNP numbers in the neighborhood of 4 to 5 percent.

Consumer index, though, could grow a percentage point more than the nation’s GNP, Chile’s Finance Minister Nicolas Eyzaguirre said in a news conference escorted by his colleagues Jorge Rodriguez and Alfonso Dulanto, Ministers of the Economy and Mining, respectively.

“Economic growth will hinge mostly on export volumes, especially in terms of copper,” Mr. Eyzaguirre added. Authorities expect to close this year with a 3.2 percent increase of the gross national product, a figure that’ll be very much in sync with the hike in internal demand.

The estimates match projections reckoned by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL).

“With the information available right now, we can confirm growth expectations for the year 2004 in the neighborhood of 4 to 5 percent,” Mr. Eyzaguirre said.

The government’s first official projection for 2004 –that provided much of the basis for making the new budget bill- pointed to an estimated 4.4 percent GNP spike.