Turkey economic data shows mixed results in trade and industry

Economic data from Turkey for June 2026 reveals mixed performance across various sectors. The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) reported that total trade sales volume fell by 4.5% annually, though retail sales showed resilience with an 11.8% increase. This growth in retail was driven by non-food items and internet sales, while the wholesale and automotive sectors experienced significant declines.

In the industrial sector, the seasonally adjusted industrial production index decreased by 1.4% year-over-year. While Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek noted that industrial production grew by 1.9% in the second quarter of 2026—supported by a 3.9% rise in high-technology sectors—the monthly data showed a more stagnant trend with only a 0.1% increase.

Construction and services sectors showed strong turnover growth. The construction sector's turnover index rose by 29.9% annually, with labor costs outpacing material costs. The services sector led all sectors in turnover growth at 31.3%. Additionally, the Ministry of Trade reported record-breaking export figures from 19 free zones, which reached $7.7 billion in the first seven months of 2026, a 6.9% increase from the previous year, with over 57% of these exports consisting of medium-to-high technology products.