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☆ Turkish annual inflation soars to 67% in February
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Turkish annual consumer price inflation soared to 67.07% in February, the Turkish Statistical Institute said Monday, coming in above expectations. Analysts polled by Reuters had anticipated annual inflation would climb to 65.7% last month. The combined sector of hotels, cafes and restaurants saw the greatest annual price inflation increase at 94.78%, followed by education at 91.84%, while the rate for health stood at 81.25% and transportation at 77.98%, according to the statistical institute. "Obviously a disappointing set of inflation prints this morning," Timothy Ash, emerging markets strategist at BlueBay Asset Management, wrote in a note. He added that this development has "continued to put downward pressure on the lira," creating an inflation pass-through.

Persons: Liam Peach, Mehmet Simsek, Turkey's, Timothy Ash, Ash Organizations: Turkish Statistical Institute, Reuters, Food, Economics, Capital Economics, Turkish, BlueBay Asset Management, FX Locations: Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkish, London

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The work to tame inflation in Turkey — namely through interest rate hikes — will continue “with determination,” the country’s new central bank chief said Thursday, offering some certainty about efforts to right the battered economy following his precedessor's surprise resignation. The duty of the central bank is to ensure and maintain price stability,” Karahan told reporters in Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Erdogan, who has previously fired central bank governors who spurned his unorthodox policies, appointed the new economic team after getting reelected in May. The Turkish central bank most recently raised its key interest rate by 2.5 percentage points in January, when inflation reached nearly 65%. Despite such hikes, inflation remains high — consumer prices rose to an eye-watering 64.86% in January from a year earlier, according to figures released Monday, up from 64.77% in December.

Persons: Fatih Karahan, Goldman Sachs, Karahan, Mehmet Simsek, ” Karahan, Hafize Gaye Erkan, ”, Erkan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, ___ Robert Badendieck Organizations: Finance, Turkish Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Ankara, Turkish, Ukraine, Istanbul

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey has seen its fifth central bank leader depart in as many years as Hafize Gaye Erkan, the first woman in the top role, stepped down after just eight months in the job. Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesHere are key things to know about the central bank shakeup and what it means for Turkey's battered economy:WHY IS THERE A NEW CENTRAL BANK LEADER? Erkan resigned after weeks of media stories about her father’s undue influence in the central bank’s Istanbul office. Previous changes in central bank leadership has seen Erdogan row back on efforts to bring inflation under control through interest rate hikes. He was brought in as the bank’s deputy head at the same time Simsek took over the Finance Ministry and Erkan was appointed to lead the central bank.

Persons: Hafize Gaye Erkan, Goldman Sachs, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, — Erkan, ”, Fatih Karahan, Mehmet Simsek, Erdogan, Erkan, Karahan, Simsek's, Simsek, Liam Peach, Selcuki, ” “ It’s, ” Selcuki Organizations: —, Finance, WHO, FATIH, Finance Ministry, University of Pennsylvania, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Amazon, Capital Economics, Istanbul Economy Research Locations: ISTANBUL, — Turkey, Turkey, Istanbul, Simsek, U.S, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Columbia, New York, Ankara

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s central bank raised its key interest rate by another 2.5 percentage points on Thursday, pressing ahead with a series of hikes aimed at combating inflation that reached nearly 65% in December. Erdogan is a longtime proponent of an unorthodox policy of cutting interest rates to fight inflation, which runs contrary to mainstream economic thinking. The European Central Bank is expected to keep its record-high benchmark rate steady at its meeting Thursday, following a rapid series of hikes over more than a year. Hafize Gaye Erkan, a former U.S.-based bank executive, took over as central bank governor in June, becoming the first woman to hold that position in Turkey. Previously, Erdogan had fired central governments who reportedly resisted his push to cut interest rates.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Merrill Lynch, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan, ” Organizations: European Central Bank, Turkish Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Ukraine, U.S

☆ Turkey hikes interest rates to 40% to battle sky-high inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Turkey's central bank raised interest rates by five percentage points on Thursday. It was the sixth consecutive rate hike and took the rate to 40%. AdvertisementANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's central bank delivered another huge interest rate hike on Thursday as it tries to curb double-digit inflation that has left households struggling to afford food and other basic goods. AdvertisementFollowing Erdogan's reelection in May, he appointed a new economic team, which has quickly moved toward reversing his previous policy of keeping interest rates low. Under Erkan's tenure, the central bank has hiked its main interest rate from 8.5% to 40%.

Persons: —, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Merrill Lynch, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan Organizations: Service Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Ukraine, U.S

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s central bank delivered another huge interest rate hike on Thursday as it tries to curb double-digit inflation that has left households struggling to afford food and other basic goods. The bank pushed its policy rate up by 5 percentage points, to 40%, marking its sixth big interest rate hike in a row focused on beating down inflation that hit an eye-watering 61.36% last month. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long been a proponent of an unorthodox policy of cutting interest rates to fight inflation and had fired central bank governors who resisted his rate-slashing policies. Other central banks around the world have raised interest rates rapidly to target spikes in consumer prices tied to the rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and then Russia's war in Ukraine. Under Erkan’s tenure, the central bank has hiked its main interest rate from 8.5% to 40%.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Merrill Lynch, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Ukraine, U.S

☆ Turkey's crypto rules seen addressing licensing, taxation after boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ezgi Erkoyun | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

MARKET BOOM"We have been observing that the interest in crypto assets in Turkey is on a continuous rise. There is currently a lack of regulation in this area," said Mucahit Donmez, chief executive of crypto currency exchange Binance Turkey. The government said work on regulation for crypto asset service providers and taxation of digital virtual assets will be on the agenda for 2024. In 2021, authorities banned the use of crypto assets for payments after some local exchanges were investigated for fraud. Onur Altan Tan, board member at Futurance Finance Tech & Fexobit crypto currency platform, said that they are expecting the new regulation to detail out licensing criteria for platforms and bring taxation for users.

Persons: Bora Erdamar, Erdamar, Mehmet Simsek, FATF, Mucahit Donmez, Altan Tan, There's, Ezgi Erkoyun, Jonathan Spicer, Sharon Singleton Organizations: BlockchainIST, Turkey, FATF's, Service, Binance Research, Futurance Finance Tech, Thomson Locations: Turkey, ISTANBUL, Ankara, Paris, United States, India, United Kingdom

The top appeals court, or Yargitay, took the unprecedented step of making a criminal complaint against Constitutional Court judges on Wednesday, arguing that their ruling last month in favour of releasing Atalay was unconstitutional. "The Court of Cassation (Yargitay) has committed a crime by not recognising the Constitutional Court decision. He called for compliance with the Constitutional Court ruling and said the Yargitay appeals court judges should be put under investigation. The Istanbul Bar Association said on Thursday it had filed a criminal complaint against the Yargitay judges involved in the case on the grounds of misconduct and "depriving a person of liberty". Rule of law, predictability and trust are fundamental for investors and Turkey’s record in this front was and still is miserable."

Persons: Erkan, Sera Kadigil, Ahmet Sik, Umit, Osman, Tayyip Erdogan, Ozgur Urfa, Erdogan, Mehmet Ucum, Mehmet Simsek, Central Bank Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, Wolfango Piccoli, Daren Butler, Alex Richardson Organizations: Workers ' Party of Turkey, Turkish, REUTERS, Rights, Constitutional, Cassation, Twitter, Istanbul Bar Association, Central Bank Governor, Ece, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Istanbul

☆ Turkey to toughen law on crypto assets - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Representations of cryptocurrency Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dash plunge into water in this illustration taken, May 23, 2022. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) downgraded Turkey to a so-called grey list in 2021. Addressing a parliamentary commission late on Tuesday, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said a FATF report found Turkey fully compliant with all but one of the watchdog's 40 standards. "The only remaining issue within the scope of technical compliance is the work related to crypto assets," Simsek said. After that, there will be no reason for Turkey to stay in that grey list, if there are no other political considerations."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mehmet Simsek, Simsek, Nevzat Devranoglu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Turkey

☆ We have a 'very comprehensive' structural reform agenda, Turkish finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWe have a 'very comprehensive' structural reform agenda, Turkish finance minister saysMehmet Şimşek, Turkish finance minister, shares his message about the state of Turkey's economy with the international investment community.

Persons: Mehmet Şimşek

☆ The UN is not functioning the way it's supposed to, Turkish finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe UN is not functioning the way it's supposed to, Turkish finance minister saysMehmet Şimşek, Turkish finance minister, says "our region has seen enough suffering, enough bloodshed, enough wars."

Persons: Mehmet Şimşek Organizations: UN

☆ Key takeaways from the IMF/World Bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Global inflation is seen dropping from 6.9% this year to a still-high 5.8% next. Italian central bank governor Ignazio Visco said there was an impression markets were "reevaluating the term premium" as investors become more nervous about holding longer term debt. One debt restructuring deal emerged: Zambia finally agreed a debt rework memorandum of understanding with creditors including China and France. Sri Lanka said on Thursday it reached an agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China covering about $4.2 billion of debt, while talks with other official creditors are stalling. There was much talk ahead of Marrakech on revamping the IMF and World Bank to better reflect the emergence of economies like China and Brazil.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Mercy Tembon, Finance Serhiy Marchenko, Ceda Ogada, Kristalina Georgieva, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Ignazio Visco, Joyce Chang, Vitor Gaspar, Mehmet Simsek, Murat Ulgen, Kate Donald, Ahmed El Jechtimi, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Leika Kihara, Elisa Martinuzzi, Rachel Savage, Jorgelina, Rosario, Balazs Koranyi, Mark John, Christina Fincher Organizations: Bank, Finance, International Monetary Fund, Emerging, Research, HSBC, Reuters, Export, Import Bank of, World Bank, Oxfam International's Washington DC Office, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, MARRAKECH, Morocco, Moroccan, Marrakech, Israel, Central, United States, China, Italy, Italian, Turkey, Kenya, Zambia, France, Sri Lanka, Import Bank of China, Brazil, U.S

☆ Key takeaways from the IMF-World Bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen arrives for a bilateral meeting on the third day of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meeting, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 11, 2023. Susana Vera | ReutersOvershadowed by fresh Middle East violence and hosted by a country still recovering from an earthquake, the week-long annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank wrapped up on Saturday. Global inflation is seen dropping from 6.9% this year to a still-high 5.8% next. Italian central bank governor Ignazio Visco said there was an impression markets were "reevaluating the term premium" as investors become more nervous about holding longer-term debt. One debt restructuring deal emerged: Zambia finally agreed a debt rework memorandum of understanding with creditors including China and France.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Susana Vera, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Italy —, Ignazio Visco, Joyce Chang, Vitor Gaspar, Mehmet Simsek, Murat Ulgen Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Bank, Reuters, Emerging, Research, HSBC, Export, Import Bank of Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Moroccan, Israel, Central, United States, China, Italy, Italian, Turkey, Kenya, Zambia, France, Sri Lanka, Import Bank of China

[1/5] A new building for earthquake survivors is under construction in Diyarbakir, Turkey August 26, 2023. With work underway on a fraction of the planned new buildings in the devastated city of Adiyaman, Kaplan fears a long wait together with his disabled wife and other survivors. One senior government official with direct knowledge of the reconstruction plan said the target could be missed, citing insufficient fresh funding to hold new tenders amid rising costs. They both said the effort had taken a blow when fewer companies bid for the reconstruction tenders after a post-election economic policy U-turn in June sent the currency plunging. "Our budget resources have been prepared for this huge, comprehensive project and can be updated when necessary," Erdogan's office said.

Persons: Stringer, Ismet Kaplan, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Kaplan, Bayir, Adiyaman, Turkey's, Mehmet Ozhaseki, Arvid Tuerkner, Mert Arslanalp, Erdogan's, Arslanalp, Mehmet Simsek, Simsek, Tahir Tellioglu, Tellioglu, Umit, Ezgi Erkoyun, Nevzat Devranoglu, Jonathan Spicer, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, Coordination Council, European Bank for Reconstruction, Erdogan's AK, Istanbul's Bogazici University, TAG, Construction, Thomson Locations: Diyarbakir, Turkey, Rights ISTANBUL, Adiyaman, Netherlands, Belgium, Syria, Hatay, Malatya, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Ankara

How the $13 trillion economy's slowdown will affect other emerging markets is still an unanswered question for investors. "Lower for longer Chinese growth is shaping a new regime of investments," Amundi's head of emerging markets Yerlan Syzdykov told Reuters. The World Bank trimmed its 2024 China growth forecast to 4.4% from 4.8%. 6/DEVELOPING REFORMThe World Bank, IMF and other multilateral development banks are under pressure to boost lending to poorer countries to fund development and tackle climate change. China and other large emerging economies have long demanded a greater say in the global financial architecture, which is still dominated by parameters set out by the 1944 Bretton Woods meeting, where the IMF and World Bank were established.

Persons: Abdelhak, Joseph Cuthbertson, Syzdykov, Anna Gelpern, Gregory Smith, Smith, Mehmet Simsek, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, drubbing, Timothy Ash, Jorgelina, Rosario, Rachel Savage, Marc Jones, Karin Strohecker, Christina Fincher Organizations: International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Palais des, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, International Monetary, PineBridge Investments, Reuters, Bank, Ukraine, U.S, Kyiv, Paris Club, IMF, American, London, G Investments, JPMorgan, Egypt IMF, Fitch, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Finance, BlueBay Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Palais, Palais des Congres, Marrakech, Morocco, Argentina, Pakistan, Kenya, Egypt, CHINA, China, UKRAINE, Ukraine, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Georgetown, Nigeria, TURKEY, Ankara, New York, Washington, London, Woods

☆ Morning Bid: Bond steamroller flattens all
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Banknotes of Japanese yen and U.S. dollar are seen in this illustration picture taken September 23, 2022. That's all on top of the ongoing rethink of the Fed's long-term rate horizon and increasingly high-pressure economy. Hit from all sides, the Treasury market is simply in ructions - catalysed perhaps by technical, speculative and positioning factors too. Ten-year yields hit a whopping 4.88% early on Wednesday - an increase of 80 basis points in little over a month. And implied volatility in the bond market (.MOVE) hit its highest since May.

Persons: Florence Lo, Mike Dolan, Kevin McCarthy, Michelle Bowman, Austan Goolsbee, Jeffrey Schmid, St, Louis Fed, Kathleen O'Neill Paese, Mehmet Simsek, Bernadette Baum Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Congress, riven, Federal Reserve, Bank of, Treasury, Nasdaq, Reserve Bank of New, P Global, U.S . Federal Reserve, Chicago Fed, Kansas City Fed, Turkish, Thomson, Reuters Locations: U.S, Washington, Asia, Europe, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Kansas, London

Turkey still has $2.5 billion earmarked in its budget for issuance this year - but could possibly go further than that, JPMorgan's Weiler told Reuters. Markets are expecting Turkey to come to market within days, though some are pointing to a country ratings review by S&P Global Ratings scheduled for Friday. Domestic appliance maker Arcelik last week became the first Turkish corporate to launch an international bond since January 2022. September is generally a busy month for emerging market issuers, though adding to the momentum was increasing risk appetite from investors, he said. Reporting by Karin Strohecker and Jorgelina do Rosario in London; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stefan Weiler, Tayyip Erdogan, JPMorgan's Weiler, Weiler, Erdogan, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Fitch, " Weiler, Karin Strohecker, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: JPMorgan, Reuters, Wall Street, Turkiye, . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Africa, Rosario, London

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s central bank raised its key interest rate by 5 percentage points Thursday, another large but expected hike that signals a continued push toward more traditional economic policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Turkish central bank started cutting rates in late 2021 under pressure from Erdogan. Before their appointments, the central bank had cut its key interest rate from around 19% in 2021 to 8.5% earlier this year. Erdogan has fired three central bank governors who resisted pressure to cut rates before appointing Erkan’s predecessor in 2021. Following Erkan’s appointment, the bank has raised its key rate a series fo time: by an aggressive 7.5 percentage points in August, 2.5 percentage points in July and 6.5 percentage points in June.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Merrill Lynch, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan’s Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England, U.S Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkey, Turkish, Erdogan, Central, Ukraine

☆ Morning Bid: Messy market mood as oil irks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Model of Oil barrels are seen in front of rising stock graph in this illustration, July 24, 2022. The crude spur is more supply than demand related and most fingers point to the latest output cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia. Headline inflation rates are already backing up as a result of the energy price rebound and U.S. gas pump prices rose last week to $3.88 per gallon - the highest since October 2022. Stock markets around the world were mixed to positive and U.S. futures were up a fraction ahead of Wall St's open. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mike Dolan, Claudio Borio, Mehmet Simsek, Goldman Sachs, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Energy, Administration, Federal Reserve, Bank for International, U.S, Economic, American Chamber of Commerce, Stock, Kingfisher, . Federal Reserve, Treasury, Turkey's, Goldman, Reuters Graphics, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Treasuries, China, Shanghai, Europe, Canada, New York

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, long a proponent of cutting interest rates, now supports his advisers’ economic plan that includes raising rates, a member of his economic team said Thursday. In a theory that runs contrary to traditional economic thinking, Erdogan has long pressured Turkey's central bank governors to lower rates. After winning reelection in May, however, Erdogan appointed a new economic team, including two accomplished bankers, signaling a turn to more conventional policies. Political Cartoons View All 1146 ImagesIn recent years, Erdogan fired three central bank governors for failing to fall in line with his rate-cutting policies. "We will continue with the tightening process with all our means until we reach a significant improvement in inflation," Erkan said.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, ”, Mehmet Simsek, Merrill Lynch, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan, “ Organizations: Bank Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Turkish, San Francisco

☆ Turkey's economic team in Russia as Erdogan meets Putin -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Turkey's Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek speaks during the 66th General Assembly of Turkish Banks Association in Istanbul, Turkey August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Turkey's top economic policymakers are visiting Russia for meetings on Monday, a source said, travelling along with President Tayyip Erdogan who will meet Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to discuss Black Sea grain exports. When the leaders meet later on Monday, Erdogan aims to convince Putin to return to a Ukraine grain-export deal that helped ease a global food crisis. It has opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine while also opposing Western sanctions on Moscow and has advanced economic cooperation with Russia since the invasion early last year. Since June, Simsek and Erkan have moved to roll back regulations, partly free up the currency and launched an aggressive rate-hiking cycle.

Persons: Mehmet Simsek, Murad Sezer, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erdogan, Putin, Simsek, Orhan Coskun, Jonathan Spicer, Daren Butler Organizations: Turkey's, General Assembly, Turkish Banks Association, REUTERS, Rights, Kremlin, Turkish, NATO, Thomson Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Russia, Russian, Sochi, Simsek, Ukraine, Moscow, Kyiv, UAE, Gulf

Turkey's Central Bank headquarters is seen in Ankara, Turkey in this January 24, 2014 file photo. Yet five foreign investors told Reuters that this week's rate hike signalled a new independence among policymakers who are serious about addressing unrelenting pressure on the currency and reining in inflation expectations. "It feels like they are correcting the mistakes they made with their first rate hike decisions," said Viktor Szabo, portfolio manager at abrdn in London. Erdogan, who has fired four central bank chiefs in four years, has said little about the rate hikes. Reuters GraphicsTurkish stock, Eurobond and CDS markets are more attractive targets this year and next, especially after the rate hike, investors and officials say.

Persons: Umit, Erdogan's unorthodoxy, Mehmet Simsek, Goldman Sachs, Tayyip Erdogan's, Viktor Szabo, Ola El, Van Eck, ERDOGAN, Erdogan, Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Cevdet Yilmaz, Blaise Antin, TCW, Kaan, Neuberger Berman, Jonathan Spicer, Marc Jones, Jorgelina, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Turkey's Central Bank, Finance, Goldman, Reuters, abrdn, Emerging Markets, Wall Street, JPMorgan, Reuters Graphics, CDS, Yeni, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, ANKARA, LONDON, New York, London, Van, Los Angeles, Reuters Graphics Turkish, Yeni Safak, Morocco, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Rosario

The sustained inflationary pressure, driven by a lira drop and tax hikes, comes as President Tayyip Erdogan's new finance minister and central bank chief orchestrate a policy U-turn including interest rate hikes that are expected to slow domestic demand. But in the meantime the U-turn has hammered the currency and left authorities asking already-stretched households for patience. In July, consumer prices soared nearly 10% sequentially due to tax hikes and a lira crash. This month, forecasts by five economists show them rising between 5.5% and 8.5%, with fallout from mid-July tax hikes lagging into August. After years of divergence with market expectations, the central bank matched those last month when it raised its end-2023 annual inflation forecast to 58.0% from a previous 22.3%.

Persons: Erdogan, Tayyip Erdogan's, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erdogan's, Erkan, Mehmet Simsek, Moody's, Daren Butler, Jonathan Spicer, Toby Chopra Organizations: Turkish Statistical Institute, Thomson Locations: Erdogan ANKARA, Istanbul, Turkey's

☆ Turkey's Erdogan appoints three deputy governors to central bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses supporters at the Presidential Palace after his victory in the second round of the presidential election, Ankara, Turkey, May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File PhotoISTANBUL, July 28 (Reuters) - Turkish's President Tayyip Erdogan named three deputy governors to the central bank, the country's official gazette said early on Friday, hours after the bank vowed to continue gradual monetary tightening and raised its end-2023 inflation forecast. Osman Cevdet Akcay, Fatih Karahan and Hatice Karahan were appointed as deputy central bank governors, according to a decision published in the official gazette. On Thursday, Turkey's central bank raised its end-2023 inflation forecast sharply to 58% and said it would continue monetary tightening. In what is seen as a pivot to economic orthodoxy, Erdogan appointed Mehmet Simsek as finance minister and Erkan as central bank governor shortly after his re-election in May.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Umit, Osman Cevdet Akcay, Fatih Karahan, Hatice Karahan, Yapi, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erdogan, Mehmet Simsek, Emrah Sener, Taha Cakmak, Mustafa Duman, Ezgi Erkoyun, Leslie Adler, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Amazon, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, ISTANBUL, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Turkey's

But it was the repeated use of the word holistic - or "bütüncül" - by the former Goldman Sachs banker and Turkey's first female central bank chief that caught most of the attention. "We are making the gradual and steady rate hikes more holistic and stronger through quantitative tightening and selective credit tightening," Erkan told the news conference. "Unless the credit and monetary tightening really kick in, investors would expect the central bank to hike more aggressively," he said. "She clearly wants to be the face of Turkish monetary policy making," said Neuberger Berman's Nazli. "We saw a person who seems to be capable of being a central bank governor, compared to previous governors, but cautious."

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan, Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's, Kaan Nazli, Neuberger Berman, policymaker Mehmet Simsek, Tim Ash, Erdogan, Ash, Marek Drimal, Neuberger Berman's Nazli, swerved, Emre Akcakmak, Karin Strohecker, Libby George, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Turkey's, Ministry, BlueBay Asset Management, Societe Generale, East Capital, Thomson Locations: Rosario, London

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