SANTIAGO: Chile's economic activity grew in November for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic arrived in the South American nation, the central bank said on Monday.

The bank's IMACEC economic activity index rose 0.3% in November versus a year earlier, it said in a statement. The index encompasses about 90% of the economy tallied in gross domestic product figures.

Commerce jumped 15.3% in November as Chileans, recently freed from quarantines, flocked to stores ahead of the end-of-year holidays. But the bank said the production of goods and services continued to lag compared with the same month in 2019.

Mining - a key industry in the world's top producer of copper - fell off 1.1% in November, holding Chile back from more vigorous growth, the bank said.

Copper shipments account for around half of the country's export revenue.