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Turkish lira outlook: Policy shift indicates progress, but bolder rate hikes needed for investor confidence

The recent rise in interest rates in Turkey could potentially signal a turning point for the Turkish lira.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JUNE 23: People walk past a currency exchange shop on June 23, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish Lira weakened to a record low of 25.74 against the dollar, a day after the central bank hiked interest rates from 8.5 percent to 15 percent in the first rate decision since the appointment of new central bank governor Hafize Gaye Erkan and the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
To:

Al-Monitor Pro Members

From:

Piero Cingari

Financial analyst

Date:

July 3, 2023

Bottom Line:

The recent rise in interest rates in Turkey could potentially signal a turning point for the Turkish lira, provided that the Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) continues to pursue a strategy of aggressive tightening in the coming months. However, given significant internal and external macroeconomic imbalances, there is little room for policy errors at this critical juncture. Hafize Gaye Erkan, the newly appointed governor of the CBT with prior experience on Wall Street, faces the daunting task of winning back the trust of foreign investors who have fled the country in recent years due to the currency's severe devaluation and unorthodox economic policies. 

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