The activity of engineering consulting firms in Chile showed a drop of 5.6% during the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year and of 4.1% with respect to the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the Inco index of the Association of Engineering Consulting Firms of Chile.. The drop is viewed with concern by the sector, which highlights the decline in demand for consulting hours by the private sector, which fell 13.4% compared to the first three months of 2020. The industrial sector led the fall, with a decrease of 34.6%, but the decline in the mining sector, the main contractor of engineering consulting services, which fell by 15.6%, stands out.