Istanbul Stock Exchange Posts 25.4% Gain in First Half; Technology Sector Leads

Istanbul's Borsa Istanbul 100 index delivered a 25.4% return to investors in the first half of 2026, concluding June at 14,121.83 points. The broader BIST 30 index also saw significant growth, rising 33.7% to 16,339.52 points. This performance marks a strong start to the year for the Turkish stock market.

The technology sector was the standout performer among the four main sector indices, surging 60.5%. The financial sector followed with a 28.4% gain, while the industrial sector rose 26.3%, and the services sector increased by 19.4%. These gains indicate a broad-based market recovery and investor confidence.

Digging deeper into sub-sector performance, the financial leasing and factoring index achieved an extraordinary 411.9% return. The IT sector also saw substantial gains, with the IT index climbing 91.8%. Other strong performers included the food and beverage index (33.5%) and the metal goods and machinery index (32.7%). Conversely, the textile and leather sector and the sports sector experienced declines of 14.4% and 11.6%, respectively.

Market dynamics in the first half were shaped by several key factors. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey's (TCMB) monetary policy decisions, including an initial rate cut in January, played a significant role. Expectations of continued disinflation and interest rate adjustments, alongside developments in the Middle East and foreign investor transactions, also influenced price movements. The Turkish 5-year credit default swap (CDS) saw a notable decrease, reflecting improved perceptions of country risk.