Turkish Inflation Hits Highest Level Since 2002

A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo
A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo
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Turkish Inflation Hits Highest Level Since 2002

A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo
A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo

Turkey's annual inflation rate surged to its highest level in December since 2002, official data showed Monday, after a currency crisis late last year.

Consumer prices jumped to 36.1 percent last month from the same period in 2020, up from 21.3 percent in November, according to the Turkish statistics office.

Meanwhile, Turkish factory activity grew in December as firms hired more staff to expand their capacity despite a slowdown in actual output and new orders amid lira swings, a survey showed on Monday.

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for manufacturing ticked up to 52.1 in December from 52.0 a month earlier, data from the Istanbul Chamber of Industry and IHS Markit showed, holding comfortably above the 50.0 mark that denotes growth.

The pace of job creation was the fastest since August.

Lira depreciation pushed input costs up at the fastest rate on survey records going back to 2005, the panel said, and in turn manufacturers raised output prices, deterring customers.



Saudi Market Closes at Highest Level in a Month at 11,068 Points

An investor walks past a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market in Riyadh (Reuters)
An investor walks past a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market in Riyadh (Reuters)
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Saudi Market Closes at Highest Level in a Month at 11,068 Points

An investor walks past a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market in Riyadh (Reuters)
An investor walks past a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market in Riyadh (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia’s main stock index (TASI) rose on Thursday by about 94.29 points, or 0.86%, closing at 11,068.27 points, its highest level in over a month. Trading liquidity reached SAR5.7 billion (approximately $1.5 billion), marking the biggest weekly gains in two years.

Shares of Saudi Aramco, the heaviest-weighted stock in the index, advanced 0.66% to 24.30 riyals.

In the banking sector, Al Rajhi Bank and Saudi National Bank shares climbed 0.85% and 0.98% respectively, closing at 94.7 riyals and 36 riyals.

Mining giant Ma’aden and petrochemical company SABIC saw their shares rise by 0.39% and 0.73%, ending the session at 50.9 riyals and 54.9 riyals respectively.

ADES Holding led the gainers, jumping 7% to 13.82 riyals, followed by Gypsum Co. (Jebsco), which rose 5.6% to 22.4 riyals.

On the other hand, newly listed SMC Health Care recorded the steepest decline, falling 3.3% to 23.36 riyals, while shares of Mutawareh dropped 2.5% to 26.75 riyals.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Parallel Market Index (Nomu) rose 0.8%, closing at 27,053.1 points. Trading value on Nomu reached 23.5 million riyals, with 3.2 million shares changing hands.