Turkish stocks down at close

By Muhammed Ali Gurtas

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s benchmark index declined by 431.85 points to close at 77,157.79 points on Monday.

On the first day of the week, the BIST 100 index decreased by 0.56 percent, while the banking and holding sector indices declined by 0.66 and 0.29 percent, respectively. The total trading volume of the country's benchmark index was around 2.6 billion Turkish liras (around $742 million), relatively low compared to the last week.

Among sector indices, the mining sector index increased the most -- by 3.37 percent -- while the basic metal index declined the most, by 2.69 percent.

The most heavily-traded stocks were lenders Garanti Bank, Halkbank, Akbank, Yapi Kredi, and the national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines.

Shares of Celebi, which provides integrated ground services in the civil aviation industry, were the top percent gainer with an increase of 6.39 percent in value, while Ihlas Holding saw the biggest drop with a fall of 3.33 percent.

The Borsa Istanbul Gold Exchange index rose by 0.35 percent in value, with gold trading at 128,550 Turkish liras ($36,689) per kilogram.

The U.S. dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate was flat to stand at 3.5040 at 5 p.m. (1400GMT) on Monday, compared to 3.5040 in Friday's closing session.

Analysts said investors would follow the Turkish Central Bank's decision on interest rates after its Monetary Policy Committee Meeting on Tuesday, plus the Bank of Japan's decisions externally.

On Tuesday, Istanbul's $1.3 billion Eurasia Tunnel, the country's latest mega infrastructure project constructed underneath the seabed of the Bosphorus, will be opened at a ceremony to be attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.