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