Turkish lira

Turkish lender Akbank has managed to roll over a syndicated loan, which also marks its debut piece of ESG financing. However, pricing widened beyond expectations owing to heightened volatility in both domestic and international markets.

An imminent bond issue from Turkey is looking unlikely, investors say, after the abrupt sacking on Saturday of Naci Ağbal, governor of the central bank, just a day after he had raised interest rates by 200bp. Both hard and local currency bonds have sold off and market participants fear a balance of payments crisis.

Turkish lender Akbank is in the syndicated loan market with its debut ESG deal, according to sources. The bank has been able to tighten pricing on the refinancing, meaning that it has enough competitively priced funding for it not to need to come to the bond market.

A sustained revival of confidence in Turkish markets has caused the lira and other metrics to improve in recent days. That, market participants said, has strengthened the country's standing in international debt markets to the point where it could consider a long dated new issue, though concerns around rising US rates are simmering away in the background.

The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey delivered a much anticipated interest rate hike on Thursday, fulfilling market watchers' hopes that the country will reform its way to economic recovery. A trip to the primary bond market for the sovereign could be imminent.

The Turkish lira fell to record lows against the dollar this week as investors lamented the central bank’s failure to raise interest rates amid high inflation and expressed concerns over the country’s relationship with the US.

A tumultuous week in Turkish currency markets ended with the lira hitting new lows against the dollar and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey finally taking action to try and calm volatility. Amid such swings, a sovereign bond issue looks unlikely.

Turkey continued to teeter on the brink of a currency crisis this week, as the lira went on another rollercoaster ride and touched a record low.

Falls in the Turkish lira have reignited concerns about a currency crisis this week, with the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey’s (CBRT) unorthodox exchange rate policy raising questions from investors about the robustness of the country’s respected banking sector. Mariam Meskin and Ross Lancaster report.

Turkey has stood out among emerging market countries for its rapid-fire approach to monetary policy, as it attempts to turbo-charge growth amid the coronavirus pandemic. But with sustained downward pressure on the lira, few foreign investors are willing to buy in. The crisis is also causing a hedging conundrum.

Backed by a resilient and toughened banking system, Turkish debt could be one of the most rewarding investments in loan and bond format alike. As the country recovers from the currency crisis of August 2018, it is high time for those still standing on the platform to board the Turkish train.

Vakifbank has sold the first ever domestically placed AT1, raising TL5bn ($828.5m) with a perpetual non call five year private placement. An investor away from the deal said it was bought by a single, government linked investor.