Peru turmoil, Chile’s lockdown, hawks & doves

Pedro Castillo’s victory in Peru’s presidential election caused local markets to tumble, but if his more moderate post-election comments are borne out in policymaking, asset prices are likely to recover some lost ground. In Chile, while the latest lockdown has caused the near-term outlook to worsen, we retain a positive view on the economy’s growth prospects. The central bank’s forecasts published this week show that it is of a similar opinion (and that rates will rise this year as a result – in line with our projections). Elsewhere, the news that Mexico’s finance minister will take over as central bank governor next year adds weight to our view that Banxico bank will tolerate higher inflation.