Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows fell 35% year-over-year in the first eight months of 2026 to $6.8 billion from $10.5 billion recorded during the same period in 2025, according to data released by the International Investors Association (YASED).
The government will discontinue its 'sliding scale' fuel tax offset mechanism at the end of 2026, shifting focus toward boosting budget revenues ahead of potential elections in 2027 or early 2028.
The economy grew by 2.3% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, extending its continuous growth streak to 24 quarters but missing market expectations of 2.8%.
The contracts of construction firms abroad fell by more than half in the first six months of 2026.
The central bank has raised its year-end inflation forecast for 2026 to 28 percent from 26 percent.
The passenger car and light commercial vehicle market shrank by 10.72% in the first seven months of 2026.
Hakan Aran, the CEO of Turkey's largest private bank, İşBank, has warned that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face severe difficulties accessing credit, predicting a highly strained second half for 2026.
Turkey’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant plans to launch its first reactor in autumn 2026, a major milestone for the nation's energy infrastructure.
Halkbank, the state lender and fourth-largest bank in Turkey by assets, announced that a nine-year-old US criminal case against the bank is getting closer to a complete end. The bank and the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York submitted a joint plea to the court on June 10, 2026, requesting the dismissal of all charges.
Millions of retirees in Turkey are waiting for official inflation data due on July 3 to learn how much their pensions could increase in the second half of the year. TurkStat will announce June inflation figures on July 3, revealing the inflation rate for the first six months of 2026. The data will determine the basis for pension adjustments. The parliament previously set the minimum pension for workers and self-employed retirees at 20,000 Turkish lira ($434) as of Jan. 1, 2026. Any increase to that minimum pension level will require a new legal regulation.
Engineers at Turkey's first nuclear power plant have finished a critical test as part of preparations for the launch planned by the end of 2026, the Energy Ministry said. Technicians successfully loaded 163 simulated fuel assemblies into the reactor pressure vessel of the first unit at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. The operation is a major milestone in the launch of the country’s first nuclear power facility.
The Turkish economy grew by 2.5% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, lower than the 2.7% growth expected by economists. TurkStat data showed that quarter-on-quarter GDP growth remained at 0.1%. Household consumption made the largest contribution to growth with 3.4 percentage points. However, industrial production contracted. Also, the negative contribution of net foreign trade expanded.