Stock Markets March 26, 2026

Istanbul Stocks Slip as BIST 100 Ends Down 1.83%; Banking and Trade Sectors Weigh

Broad-based selling drives index lower; oil jumps while gold retreats and lira edges higher against dollar

By Maya Rios
Istanbul Stocks Slip as BIST 100 Ends Down 1.83%; Banking and Trade Sectors Weigh

Turkey's benchmark equity index closed lower on Thursday, pulled down by losses in the Banking, Wholesale & Retail Trade and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors. The BIST 100 fell 1.83% at the close in Istanbul, while market breadth skewed heavily negative. Commodities and currency markets showed notable moves, with oil contracts rising and gold futures dropping.

Key Points

  • BIST 100 closed down 1.83% at the Istanbul session close, with Banking, Wholesale & Retail Trade and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors cited as major contributors to the drop.
  • Top gainers included Ral Yatirim Holding AS (IS:RALYH) up 9.99%, Tekfen Holding AS (IS:TKFEN) up 5.18% and Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayi AS (IS:AKSA) up 4.07%; largest decliners were Kiler Holding AS (IS:KLRHO) down 6.91%, Sok Marketler (IS:SOKM) down 5.88% and ODAS Elektrik Uretim Sanayi Ticaret AS (IS:ODAS) down 4.92%.
  • Commodities saw divergence: June gold futures fell 2.48% to $4,471.97 per troy ounce, while May crude oil rose 4.42% to $94.31 a barrel and June Brent climbed 4.62% to $101.75; USD/TRY moved to 44.36 and EUR/TRY to 51.35.

Market close overview

Turkey's equity market finished the trading day in negative territory on Thursday, with the BIST 100 ending the session down 1.83% at the Istanbul close. Declines across multiple sector groups, led by the Banking, Wholesale & Retail Trade and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors, contributed to the downward pressure on the benchmark.


Top and bottom movers

Among stocks on the BIST 100, Ral Yatirim Holding AS (IS:RALYH) was the leading gainer, advancing 9.99% - a rise of 17.60 points - to finish at 193.70. Tekfen Holding AS (IS:TKFEN) also posted a strong gain, climbing 5.18% or 4.60 points to close at 93.35. Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayi AS (IS:AKSA) rose 4.07%, adding 0.44 points to end the day at 11.25.

On the downside, Kiler Holding AS (IS:KLRHO) recorded the steepest drop among BIST 100 names, sliding 6.91% or 7.60 points to 102.40 at the close. Sok Marketler (IS:SOKM) declined 5.88%, shedding 3.00 points to finish at 48.00, while ODAS Elektrik Uretim Sanayi Ticaret AS (IS:ODAS) was down 4.92%, a loss of 0.30 points to 5.80.


Market breadth and participation

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones by a wide margin on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, with 452 stocks closing lower compared to 157 that rose; 11 shares finished unchanged.


Commodities and currency moves

Commodities trading showed mixed momentum. Gold Futures for June delivery fell 2.48%, a decline of 113.53, to settle at $4,471.97 a troy ounce. Crude oil for May delivery rose 4.42%, gaining $3.99 to reach $94.31 per barrel. The June Brent contract increased 4.62%, up $4.49, to trade at $101.75 per barrel.

In currency markets, the USD/TRY pair was up 0.08% at 44.36, while EUR/TRY rose 0.09% to 51.35. The US Dollar Index Futures traded higher by 0.24% at 99.64.


Implications for sectors

The session's movements highlighted pressure in financials, retail and chemicals-related stocks given the sectors cited as leading contributors to the decline in the BIST 100. Concurrent moves in oil and gold prices, as well as modest lira appreciation against the dollar, were notable cross-market developments during the trading day.


Summary takeaway

Thursday's trade closed with the BIST 100 lower, led by sectoral weakness in banking, wholesale & retail trade and chemical, petroleum & plastic companies, while commodities and FX markets recorded meaningful intraday shifts.

Risks

  • Sector concentration of losses - pronounced weakness in banking, wholesale & retail trade and chemical, petroleum & plastic sectors could exert continued downward pressure on the BIST 100.
  • Commodity price volatility - significant intraday moves in crude oil and gold introduce uncertainty for energy, petrochemical and commodity-sensitive sectors.
  • Currency fluctuations - movements in USD/TRY and EUR/TRY may affect corporate earnings for exporters and importers and could influence market sentiment.

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