2021 in review

For the last Weekly of the year we look back at some our key 2021 forecasts. Our biggest wins were predicting that Brazil’s government would effectively cast aside its spending cap and that Colombia would lose its investment-grade rating. However, we underestimated this year’s surge in inflation and the aggressive monetary policy response across the region. Otherwise, all eyes are on Chile’s presidential election on Sunday between José Antonio Kast and Gabriel Boric, which looks too close to call. Both candidates have moderated their stance in recent weeks suggesting that a radical shift in policymaking seems unlikely, but fiscal risks will linger regardless of who wins.