Stock Markets March 23, 2026

Istanbul equities finish higher as technology and metals lead gains; BIST 100 up 0.92%

Broad advance in Istanbul driven by Technology, Basic Metals and Holdings & Investments sectors as commodity prices fall and FX edges mixed

By Caleb Monroe
Istanbul equities finish higher as technology and metals lead gains; BIST 100 up 0.92%

Turkey's benchmark BIST 100 closed higher on Monday, rising 0.92% as gains in Technology, Basic Metals and Holdings & Investments outpaced declines elsewhere. Market breadth was mixed, with slightly more decliners than advancers, while commodity contracts and some currencies moved notably during the session.

Key Points

  • BIST 100 closed up 0.92% as gains in Technology, Basic Metals and Holdings & Investments led the market.
  • Top gainers included SISE (+9.99%), RALYH (+9.96%) and CANTE (+7.01%); key decliners included EFOR (-9.93%), ENJSA (-8.91%) and TRMET (-7.98%).
  • Commodity prices fell sharply - including gold and crude oil - while USD/TRY and EUR/TRY moved modestly during the session.

Shares on the Istanbul exchange ended the trading day in positive territory on Monday, with the BIST 100 adding 0.92% at the close in Istanbul. Strength in Technology, Basic Metals and Holdings & Investments stocks was the main driver of the advance.

Top and bottom performers

The strongest performers on the BIST 100 included Turkiye Sise ve Cam Fabrikalari AS (IS:SISE), which surged 9.99% - a gain of 4.42 points - to finish at 48.68. Ral Yatirim Holding AS (IS:RALYH) rose 9.96%, up 13.90 points to close at 153.40, while Can2 Termik AS (IS:CANTE) added 7.01% or 0.11 points to end the session at 1.68.

On the downside, Efor Yatırım Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. (IS:EFOR) fell 9.93%, sliding 1.12 points to close at 10.16. Enerjisa Enerji AS (IS:ENJSA) declined 8.91% or 11.10 points to finish at 113.50, and Anadolu Metal Madencilik Isletmeleri AS (IS:TRMET) lost 7.98%, down 11.50 points to 132.70.


Market breadth and notable lows

Declining issues slightly outnumbered advancing ones on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, with 308 stocks falling versus 295 gaining; 14 issues closed unchanged. Shares of Efor Yatırım Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. fell to a 52-week low after the 9.93% drop, ending the day at 10.16.


Commodities and FX moves

Commodities markets were marked by significant declines. Gold Futures for June delivery fell 2.78% - a drop of 128.10 - to $4,481.50 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for May delivery declined 11.57% or 11.37 to $86.86 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract slipped 10.93% or 11.63 to trade at $94.78 a barrel.

Currency pairs affecting Turkish markets saw modest moves. USD/TRY was up 0.03% at 44.31, while EUR/TRY rose 0.45% to 51.49. The US Dollar Index Futures traded lower as well, down 0.53% at 98.93.


Takeaways

Monday's session in Istanbul showed pockets of strength among Technology, Basic Metals and Holdings & Investments companies, lifting the BIST 100 modestly higher despite a greater number of decliners. At the same time, sharp moves in commodity prices and modest FX shifts were notable across global markets during the trading day.

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Risks

  • Significant drops in commodity prices - including crude oil and gold - may weigh on energy and metals-related sectors.
  • Market breadth was mixed, with more decliners than advancers, indicating potential unevenness behind the headline index gain.
  • Sharp declines in individual stocks that hit new lows, such as EFOR at a 52-week low, point to company-specific downside risk that could affect sector sentiment.

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