Chilean stocks rose in heavier than expected a short session of pre-holiday trade on Friday, led by steelmaker CAP, while the peso edged down slightly in a sluggish currency market.
The IPSA index of 40 most liquid stocks rose 0.48 percent to 2,121.57 points while the broader IGPA index gained 0.36 percent at 9,903.00, preliminary closing figures showed.
Markets in Chile closed early on Friday at 1:30 pm local time (1730 GMT) and will remain closed on Monday due to the Independence Day holiday.
"Considering we're on the eve of a holiday, the volumes aren't bad at all, and the market is even up a little. We were expecting it to be a lot flatter," said Gabriela Clivio, research manager with BBVA Stock Brokers.
Steel producer CAP led blue chip shares as its stock roared 4.43 percent higher to 7,400 pesos a share.
Other heavily traded blue chips included diversified retailer Cencosud, which rose 1.93 percent to 1,158 pesos a share, and Chile's largest shipping company, Sudamericano de Vapores, up 1.08 percent at 1,218 pesos a share.
On the foreign exchange market, the Chilean peso edged 0.06 percent lower in sluggish trade to close at 534.80/535.30 per dollar compared to Thursday's close at 534.50/535.00.
"The market was in low gear and closed much earlier than normal because of the start of the Independence Day celebrations," said Mauricio Guerrero, a trader with the Multicambios exchange house.
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