Chile's economic activity fell in May, central bank data showed on Wednesday, missing market forecasts and falling for the fifth consecutive month.
The IMACEC index, which accounts for about 90% of the Andean country's gross domestic product, declined 0.9% in May when compared with a year earlier, while economists polled by Reuters expected a 0.3% year-on-year expansion.
The decline compared with a 1.2% annual drop the previous month, its sharpest drop in three years.
The economic activity of the world's largest copper producer was dragged down by its key mining sector, and recorded its fifth consecutive month of decline.
On a monthly basis, the IMACEC index registered a 0.2% decrease, the central bank added.