The Banco Central de Chile’s unanimous October 27 hold at the 4.5% tasa de política monetaria, unchanged since December 2025, reflects a hawkish tilt amid elevated inflation risks. Annual CPI stood at 4.1% in September, driven by a roughly 25% surge in oil prices since the prior IPoM and broader energy-food pressures from geopolitical tensions, pushing market-implied odds for no December change to 55.5% while assigning 29% to a 25 basis point hike. Weak domestic activity, including a 1% annual Imacec decline in August, 9.6% unemployment, and sharply lower 2026 GDP forecasts near 0.25-0.75%, tempers aggressive tightening expectations, yet the board’s emphasis on monitoring persistent shocks supports the elevated probability of a modest hike at the December 15 meeting if near-term CPI data exceed projections.