Borsa Istanbul Opens Nearly Flat as Investors Await US Data
Borsa Istanbul’s BIST 100 index began the session little changed, slipping 0.02% to 12,885.57 points. Investors were looking ahead to a series of US economic releases that could influence expectations for the global economy and financial markets.
The muted opening followed a sharp decline in the previous session. The benchmark index ended the day down 2.74% at 12,888.33 points after trading was dominated by selling. At the start of the new session, it lost 2.76 points compared with that close.
Trading was mixed across major groups. The banking index gained 0.72%, while the holding companies index fell 1.32%. Among sector indices, transportation led the advances, rising 0.98%. Financial leasing and factoring recorded the steepest loss, dropping 8.34%.
Global markets showed signs of recovery as concerns about energy supplies eased. Hopes that a new agreement could be reached in the Middle East helped reduce anxiety over the availability of energy, while selling pressure in bond markets also subsided. Those developments supported a more positive tone in international trading, although uncertainty remained.
Investors were also assessing remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan concerning investigations into funds. He said the judiciary had launched a comprehensive investigation and that arrests and detentions had taken place. Erdoğan added that anyone found responsible would be held accountable under the law.
The domestic economic calendar was quiet, leaving international developments in focus. Analysts said attention would turn to US durable goods orders, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index and inflation expectations. Together, the releases may offer clues about household confidence, business demand and the outlook for prices.
These indicators matter beyond the United States because changes in expectations for inflation and economic growth can affect bond yields, currency markets and global risk appetite. Any shift in investor expectations may, in turn, influence demand for emerging-market assets, including Turkish equities.
The contrast between the previous day’s steep fall and the nearly unchanged opening suggests that investors had yet to settle on a clear direction. A flat start does not necessarily signal that selling pressure has ended; market participants may wait for fresh data or international developments before making larger moves.
Analysts identified 12,700 and 12,600 points as support levels for the BIST 100, where buying interest could emerge if the index weakens. On the upside, 13,000 and 13,100 points were cited as resistance levels that the benchmark would need to overcome to extend a recovery.
For the remainder of the session, investors are likely to weigh movements in individual sectors against broader global signals. Banks opened higher, while holding companies and financial leasing and factoring stocks moved lower, underlining the uneven performance beneath the headline index. US data and developments affecting energy and bond markets remain key factors that could shape sentiment.