Events May Affect Turkish Financial Markets

Here are news, reports and events that may affect Turkish financial markets on Thursday.

The lira firmed to 2.1892 against a euro/dollar basket basket early on Thursday.

The main Istanbul share index was flat in early trade after rising 2.45 percent on Wednesday.

The two-year benchmark bond yield closed at 6.80 percent in thin volume.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian shares hit new 2013 lows as the prospect of reduced stimulus from central banks rattled investors, triggering a broad sell-off from riskier assets.

The tumult in global markets also sent the dollar skidding as uncertainty about whether the Federal Reserve would scale back its massive stimulus and the slide in Japanese shares forced a clean-out of long-dollar positions.

U.S. crude futures were down and Brent also fell.

PROTESTS

Huseyin Celik, deputy chairman of the ruling AK Party, said late on Wednesday protesters should withdraw from Gezi Park, scene of two weeks of anti-government protests, and that a referendum could be held on the government’s redevelopment plans that sparked the demonstration.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will meet a celebrity singer and TV host on Thursday to discuss the demonstration.