Analysis Trade Turkish exporters cautiously optimistic for rest of year Turkish exporters are predicting a strong second half of the year, with expectations of increased shipments to traditional markets and growth into the Middle East. There are lingering concerns that global risk factors will blow a chill wind over sales, however. Turkey’s exports accelerated 3.6 percent in the January to March quarter, with sales worth […] May 10, 2024
Manufacturing Turkish manufacturers waver on economic prospects Turkey’s manufacturers are uncertain about the national economy’s prospects, with a report showing a slowing of new orders and an easing of output partly being offset by stronger inventory increases and expectations of a modest release from inflationary pressures. The latest survey of Turkish manufacturers, conducted by Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and ratings agency Standard […] May 3, 2024
Economy Demand for gold soars as Turkish investors seek safe haven Rampant inflation, a weakening currency and geopolitical tensions are boosting demand for gold in Turkey, according to a World Gold Council report published on Tuesday. Turkey’s annual inflation hit a 16-month peak of 69 percent in March, with the central bank’s aggressive interest rate rises doing little to slow the pace of consumer price increases. […] May 1, 2024
Economy Turkey secures $6bn from Islamic Development Bank Turkey has secured $6.3 billion in funding over the next two years from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group to support its economic development. The facility will support sectors such as education, health, transport, finance, agriculture, industry, energy and infrastructure, state-run Anadolu Agency said, quoting Turkey’s treasury and finance minister Mehmet Şimşek. NewsletterGet the Best of AGBI delivered straight […] April 30, 2024
Renewable Energy Investors warm to Turkey’s geothermal sector Turkey is planning to offset its hydrocarbons deficit by broadening its renewable energy base, with the country’s geothermal sector being targeted by investors as a strong growth market. Turkey’s current installed capacity of 1700 megawatts (MW) – much of which is being used in agriculture to heat greenhouses – ranks it among the leaders in […] April 30, 2024
Oil & Gas Turkey looks for Exxon LNG deal to replace Russia Turkey is aiming to secure a multibillion-dollar long-term liquefied natural gas deal with ExxonMobil as it strives to reduce reliance on Russian energy. The Turkish energy minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, told the Financial Times Ankara wanted to buy up to 2.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year in a 10-year agreement. Bayraktar said the […] April 30, 2024
Food & Drink Turkey’s Getir exits Europe and US to focus on home market Turkish grocery delivery startup Getir has announced that it is leaving the European and US markets to focus on Turkey. Getir had already exited the French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese markets in 2023, and will now cease operations in the UK, the US, Germany and the Netherlands. These account for 7 percent of its revenue. […] April 29, 2024
Tech Turkish fintech Midas raises $45m for new products Turkish fintech startup Midas has raised $45 million in equity funding to expand its services and launch new products. The new products include cryptocurrency trading, mutual funds and savings accounts. The funding is among the “biggest ever” Series A fund raise by a Turkish fintech and comes less than three years after Midas was launched. […] April 24, 2024
Transport Gulf to collaborate on $17bn Suez Canal road and rail rival The $17 billion “Development Road” project is moving ahead after the UAE, Iraq, Qatar and Turkey signed a quadrilateral cooperation agreement. The road and rail collaboration aims to tie the Al-Faw Grand Port in Iraq’s oil-rich south to Turkey, thereby shortening travel time between Asia and Europe in a bid to rival the Suez Canal. […] April 23, 2024
Aviation Turkish Airlines nears $20bn deal with Airbus and Rolls-Royce State-backed Turkish Airlines is expected to sign an agreement with UK’s Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc and European planemaker Airbus to manufacture $20 billion worth of aircraft components locally. The deal will be announced in Istanbul later this month, Bloomberg reported, quoting Turkish officials who were aware of the agreement. Last December the Turkish national carrier announced […] April 18, 2024
Manufacturing Hit by rising costs, Turkey’s textile producers move overseas Textile manufacturers in Turkey, struggling with pricing pressures and labour costs, are moving their operations overseas, although at least some in the sector see a turnaround by the year’s end. The Istanbul Chamber of Industry sectoral purchasing managers’ index for March showed sentiment among textile manufacturers was the lowest among the 10 sectors covered by […] April 17, 2024
Food & Drink Mubadala-backed Getir weighs asset sales Turkey’s grocery delivery startup Getir is considering asset sales as part of its ongoing restructuring talks, according to a media report. The company, operating in five markets, including the UK, aims to sell off assets such as US online grocer FreshDirect, acquired last year, and BiTaksi, a ride-hailing app in Turkey, Sky News reported, citing unnamed […] April 17, 2024
Employment Jobless rate in Turkey edges back towards 10-year low Turkey’s unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points month on month in February, to 8.7 percent, according to official data released on Monday. The seasonally adjusted figure is edging back down towards the 8.6 percent recorded in October last year, the lowest for a decade. The unemployment rate for women was 11.3 percent in February, down […] April 15, 2024
Infrastructure Iraq and Kuwait team up for European telecom corridor Iraq’s Informatics and Telecommunication Public Company, a division of the Ministry of Communications, has signed an agreement with Kuwait’s Zajil Telecom to create a telecommunications corridor from the Gulf region to Europe, transiting through Iraq and Turkey. The new route will pass through Iraqi sea and land ports. Iraq’s minister of communications Hayam Al-Yasiri said […] April 14, 2024
Industry Turkish steel in the black but EU rules rankle Turkey’s steel industry has rebounded strongly from a weak 2023, despite facing new emissions standards and competition for important markets. Crude steel output rose 25 percent year on year to 3.2 million tonnes in January, with domestic consumption of finished steel reaching 3.5 million tonnes, a 20 percent increase. Exports were also up, increasing 23 […] April 14, 2024
Manufacturing Auto industry buoyant despite Turkey’s woes Production in Turkey’s auto industry is continuing to rebound after four years of falls, despite soaring interest rates dampening domestic demand and the country’s volatile currency making it tough for automakers to plan their activities. Turkey is the world’s 12th biggest automaker, the country’s government says. It made 242,000 vehicles in the first two months […] April 11, 2024
Logistics DFDS acquires transport network of Turkey’s Ekol The Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS is to acquire the international transport network of Turkey’s Ekol Logistics for 1.9 billion crowns ($277 million). The acquisition will add road transport to its Mediterranean ferry network, DFDS said. DFDS’s chief executive, Torben Carlsen, said his company believed Turkey’s role as a manufacturing hub for Europe “will become […] April 10, 2024
Tourism Turkey’s health tourism sector worth $2bn in 2023 Turkey’s health tourism sector generated revenue of $2.3 billion in 2023, data released by the Ministry of Trade reveals. Health service exports surged from $1.9 billion in 2022 to $2.3 billion in 2023, driven by an influx of 1.4 million health tourists, placing Turkey seventh in the global health tourism rankings. The country has 40 […] April 9, 2024
Analysis Economy US rate cuts to ease Turkey’s debt and benefit exports For Turkey, long-anticipated US interest rate cuts could be more significant in terms of stimulating growth in its major export markets than easing the costs of servicing its spiralling foreign currency debt. Turks have faced a deepening cost of living crisis as veteran president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s unorthodox economic policies exacerbated a collapse in the […] April 9, 2024
Manufacturing Homegrown Togg dominates EV sales in Turkey Turkey’s domestic electric vehicle (EV) brand Togg dominated sales within the country during the first quarter of 2024. Togg achieved sales of 4,145 units, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported, quoting data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association. EV sales surged by 276 percent to 14,158 units during the quarter ended March 31, 2024. NewsletterGet the Best […] April 5, 2024
Economy Turkey’s inflation rises to 68.5% on education costs Turkey’s annual inflation rate increased to 68.5 percent in March, beating the 67.07 percent recorded a month earlier, official data showed. The biggest monthly rise was in education, which rose by more than 13 percent, followed by communication, up almost 6 percent, The Turkish Statistical Institute said. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing, and hotels, cafes […] April 4, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality QIA joint venture sells stake in high-end Turkish mall for $500m A joint venture between Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Turkey’s Dogus Holding has divested its 42 percent stake in a high-end shopping mall in Istanbul for $500 million, according to a media report. The stake was sold to Orjin Group, a local entity that already owns 58 percent of the IstinyePark mall, after the joint […] April 4, 2024