Istanbul stock market finishes 2025 with minimal growth, BIST 100 behind inflation

In a year characterized by financial constraints and political unrest, the Borsa Istanbul, Türkiye’s stock exchange, concluded 2025 with minimal growth. The BIST 100 index, a reflection of market performance, ended the final session of the year at 11,261.52 points, demonstrating an underwhelming year-over-year increase of 14.56%. However, this gain did not surpass the 16.54% annual inflation rate, nor did it overcome the 6.94% depreciation of the Turkish lira against the U.S. dollar.

Amidst fluctuating market activity, the BIST 100 experienced substantial volatility throughout the year, achieving a low point of 8,872.75 and a peak of 11,605.30. Despite this, with an average daily transaction volume of ₺172.22 billion ($4.35 billion), the stock exchange maintained a consistent level of activity. The total market capitalization, accounting for ₺15.51 trillion ($361.53 billion), was largely supported by the BIST 100 at ₺10.64 trillion ($247.69 billion).

In comparison to other key benchmark indices, the BIST 30 saw a 13.64% rise, and the BIST 50 had a gain of 12.85% by the end of 2025. A notable exception was the BIST 500, with a strong 23.15% increase throughout the year. The financial and technology sectors displayed exceptional growth rates, boasting gains of 39.1% and 105.93%, respectively. In contrast, industrials and services lagged behind, with mediocre increases of 7.35% and 10.13%, respectively. Despite varied sectoral performance, most sub-sectoral indices ended positively, with the sports, non-metal mineral products, and metal products and machinery industries experiencing a decline in values by 35.13%, 7.87%, and 4.37%, respectively. Notable surges in sub-sectoral performance were recorded by leasing and factoring, brokerage houses, and mining, showing increases of 376.58%, 108%, and 73.77%, respectively.

The foreign influx into the equities market set new records in 2025, fostering a more optimistic attitude within the market. This increase in foreign investment positively influenced market sentiment and contributed to improved overall performance. With a clear departure from the financial constraints and political disruptions of the past year, the stock exchange concluded 2025 with a cautious sense of optimism and resilience.