Turkish Lira Nears Record Low of 20 vs Dollar Ahead of Election Runoff

A U.S. one dollar banknote is seen next to Turkish lira banknotes in this illustration taken in Istanbul, Türkiye November 23, 2021. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/Illustration/File Photo
A U.S. one dollar banknote is seen next to Turkish lira banknotes in this illustration taken in Istanbul, Türkiye November 23, 2021. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/Illustration/File Photo
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Turkish Lira Nears Record Low of 20 vs Dollar Ahead of Election Runoff

A U.S. one dollar banknote is seen next to Turkish lira banknotes in this illustration taken in Istanbul, Türkiye November 23, 2021. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/Illustration/File Photo
A U.S. one dollar banknote is seen next to Turkish lira banknotes in this illustration taken in Istanbul, Türkiye November 23, 2021. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/Illustration/File Photo

The Turkish lira weakened to a record low just off 20 against the dollar on Friday ahead of this weekend's presidential election runoff which will decide whether President Tayyip Erdogan extends his rule into a third decade.

At 0413 GMT, the lira stood at 19.9845 against the dollar, off a record low of 19.9950 in early trade, Reuters reported.

Türkiye's sovereign dollar bonds and equities have plunged, while the cost of insuring exposure to Turkish debt has spiked since the first round of the presidential election on May 14.

Erdogan was well ahead of his main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu in that vote and fell just short of the more than 50% support he needed to avoid going to Sunday's runoff.



Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
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Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil prices were up slightly on Friday on stronger-than-expected US economic data that raised investor expectations for increasing crude oil demand from the world's largest energy consumer.

But concerns about soft economic conditions in Asia's biggest economies, China and Japan, capped gains.

Brent crude futures for September rose 7 cents to $82.44 a barrel by 0014 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude for September increased 4 cents to $78.32 per barrel, Reuters reported.

In the second quarter, the US economy grew at a faster-than-expected annualised rate of 2.8% as consumers spent more and businesses increased investments, Commerce Department data showed. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted US gross domestic product would grow by 2.0% over the period.

At the same time, inflation pressures eased, which kept intact expectations that the Federal Reserve would move forward with a September interest rate cut. Lower interest rates tend to boost economic activity, which can spur oil demand.

Still, continued signs of trouble in parts of Asia limited oil price gains.

Core consumer prices in Japan's capital were up 2.2% in July from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, raising market expectations of an interest rate hike in the near term.

But an index that strips away energy costs, seen as a better gauge of underlying price trends, rose at the slowest annual pace in nearly two years, suggesting that price hikes are moderating due to soft consumption.

China, the world's biggest crude importer, surprised markets for a second time this week by conducting an unscheduled lending operation on Thursday at steeply lower rates, suggesting authorities are trying to provide heavier monetary stimulus to prop up the economy.