Chile's economic activity up in September despite mining decline

SANTIAGO, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Chile's economic activity grew 3.2% in September when compared to a year earlier, central bank data showed on Monday, boosted by grains in trade and services.

The IMACEC index, which accounts for about 90% of the Andean country's gross domestic product, accelerated from the 0.5% year-on-year increase reported in August and landed slightly above the 3.1% growth expected by economists polled by Reuters.

Economic activity notched its fifteenth consecutive month of expansion on a yearly basis, despite lower copper output. The Andean country is the world's largest producer of the metal.

"The IMACEC result was mainly explained by growth in services and trade, which was partly offset by lower mining production," the central bank said in a report.

In September, trade activity rose 10.8% on a yearly basis, while the services sector expanded 3.3%. Mining activity shrank 2.2%.

On a monthly basis, economic activity in the South American country registered a 0.5% increase in September, the central bank added, rebounding from the

0.7% decline posted in the previous month. (Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Fabian Cambero; Editing by Gabriel Araujo)