Chile Cencosud plans to spend $1 bln in 2011-Celfin

SANTIAGO Dec 23 (Reuters) - Chilean retail giant Cencosud CEN.SN plans to invest around $1 billion in 2011 to build new shopping malls, supermarkets and stores, investment bank Celfin Capital said on Thursday citing a company presentation.

Cencosud, one of Latin America's top retailers and one of the most heavily traded shares on the Santiago bourse .IPSA, has said it planned to invest over $700 million in 2010.

A Cencosud spokeswoman in Santiago was not immediately available to confirm 2011 investment plans.

Santiago-based Celfin Capital said the company also estimated sales of about $14 billion in 2011.

Cencosud has operations in Chile, Peru, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil. In October, the company announced plans to purchase Brazilian supermarket chain Bretas for about $813 million.

Shares in Cencosud ended 0.55 percent higher at 3,625 pesos on Thursday. ($1= 469 Chilean pesos) (Reporting by Antonio de la Jara; Editing by Carol Bishopric)