This result was significantly influenced by the positive balance of trade, due to both higher exports and lower imports. In the services balance, reduced shipment costs and the temporary increase in imports of services stood out (figure 7). On the external front, until the beginning of March, there was an environment of higher growth and concern about inflation. On the one hand, the increase in global growth expected for this year was based on upward surprises in the performance of several important economies, such as the United States, China and the Eurozone. On the other hand, in developed world economies, core inflation indicators were high, despite the fall in total inflation. All this heightened the concerns about inflation and the need to raise interest rates by the main central banks. In this scenario, commodity prices rose and risk aversion Fell. In general, interest rates rose as a result of the higher inflation outlook (figure 8). The tone of the external scenario changed significantly in the last month, as doubts arose regarding the financial health of international banks. The problems of several banks in the United States and Europe opened a scenario of greater global uncertainty. This has generated volatility in financial markets, which reduced risk appetite and led to an appreciation of the dollar and a decrease in government bond yields, anticipating a slower pace of rate hikes by the main central banks. It is worth noting that the market anticipates a lower Fed funds rate path than the Federal Reserve itself has communicated.
Table 2  Domestic scenario 2022  GDP Domestic demand Domestic demand (w/o inventory change) Gross fixed capital formation Total consumption Private consumption Goods and services exports Goods and services imports Current account (% of GDP) Gross national savings (% of GDP) Nominal GFCF (% of GDP)  2.4 2.3 3.0 2.8 3.1 2.9 1.4 0.9 -9.0 16.4 24.8  2023 (f) 2024 (f) 2025 (f) Mar.23 MP Dec.22 MP Mar.23 MP Dec.22 MP Mar.23 MP Report Report Report Report Report (annual change, percent) -1.75 / -0.75 -0.5/0.5 2.0-3.0 1.0-2.0 2.0-3.0 -5.3 -4.0 1.7 1.1 2.1 -4.6 -3.0 1.9 0.7 1.9 -5.0 -2.9 -0.2 -0.7 2.3 -4.5 -3.0 2.5 1.1 1.8 -5.9 -3.8 2.5 0.9 1.9 6.0 4.5 3.2 3.7 2.2 -5.4 -6.5 0.9 2.5 0.5 -4.9 -4.0 -4.1 -4.1 -4.0 20.2 18.7 19.8 18.9 19.2 24.3 23.3 23.8 23.2 23.2  (f) Forecast. Source: Central Bank of Chile. 19  Figure 13  Real consumer credit flows  (millions of UFs, moving quarterly average)  40  Rolling credit cards Credit card in installments Loans in installments Overdrafts  Households' financial burden (*)  (percent of monthly income, moving annual average)  20 19  30 18 20  17  10  16  0  15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23  19  20  21  22  (*) Median debtor's financial burden. Monthly income includes labor component (salaried formal) and pension fund withdrawals prorated over six months as from receipt of payment.