Turkish stock market's BIST 100 index breaks 12,000 barrier for first time

Türkiye's equity market reached a historic milestone on Tuesday as the benchmark BIST 100 index closed above the 12,000-point level for the first time. The index rose 321.78 points, or 2.75%, to finish the trading session at a new all-time high of 12,023.78 points, continuing a rally driven by improving macroeconomic indicators.

Trading session details

The index opened at 11,741.47 points and climbed steadily throughout the day, reaching an intraday high of 12,032.36 points before settling slightly lower. The rally was broad-based, with 78 constituent stocks advancing and only 17 declining. The total market capitalization of the BIST 100 stood at approximately 11.89 trillion Turkish liras (about $276.8 billion), with a daily trading volume of 175.4 billion liras ($4.07 billion).

Context of recent economic momentum

This record-breaking performance follows a series of positive economic data releases, including declining inflation, robust export figures, and a significant drop in the country's credit default swap (CDS) premiums to seven-year lows. The convergence of these factors has bolstered investor sentiment, reducing perceived risk and attracting capital to Turkish assets. The BIST 100 had only recently set a record on Monday before surpassing it decisively the following day.

A signal of growing financial market confidence

For Türkiye, surpassing this psychological barrier represents more than a statistical milestone; it signals growing confidence in the nation's economic stabilization and reform trajectory. A strong and rising equity market can lower capital costs for businesses, support wealth creation, and enhance the country's appeal to international investors. While external currency and commodity risks persist, as reflected in the USD/TRY rate of 43.0430 and Brent crude at $61.35 per barrel, the stock market's breakout underscores a notable shift in domestic and foreign investor outlook toward Turkish financial markets.