Political developments in Latin America have generally turned in investors’ favour this month. Right-wing José Antonio Kast beat his left-wing rival, Gabriel Boric, in the first round of Chile’s presidential election which buoyed local markets. Elsewhere, the Peronists’ heavy defeat in Argentina’s legislative elections points to more market-friendly policymaking there. However, political risks still linger across the region. The fractured nature of Chilean politics and uncertainty over the new constitution may weigh on investor sentiment, while the Argentine government has a long way to go to win over markets. Meanwhile, fears over populist shifts will persist in Brazil and Colombia ahead of elections next year. Taken together with our view that growth will slow and commodity prices will fall (further), we remain downbeat on the outlook for Latin American financial markets.
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