Borsa Istanbul down at close

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's benchmark stock index went down 0.16 percent to close at 111,099.47 points on Friday.

Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index fell 172.49 points from Thursday's close with a 5.2-billion-Turkish lira ($1.36 billion) trading volume.

The banking and holding sector indices decreased by 0.44 and 0.62 percent, respectively.

Among all sectors, the basic metal industry index performed the best -- rising 2.08 percent -- while the transportation index fell the most with a 1.80 percent decline.

Prominent polyester producer Sasa Polyester was the top gainer on Friday as its shares rose by 8.28 percent. The stocks of Conglomerate Tekfen Holding -- involved in oil, power generation, construction and infrastructure -- suffered the biggest drop of the day, going down 3.08 percent.

Friday's top shares with the highest trade volume in the BIST 100 were national flag carrier Turkish Airlines, electronics/appliances manufacturer Vestel, iron and steel producer Karabuk Kardemir, Sasa Polyester and state lender Halkbank.

The U.S. dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate decreased slightly to 3.8180 as of 5 p.m. local time (1400GMT) Friday, slipping from 3.8230 at Thursday's close.

One euro traded for 4.5290 liras by local market close, showing a decrease compared with Thursday's closing EUR/TRY exchange rate at 4.5410.

The BIST Gold Exchange index closed the day up 0.18 percent, while the price of gold per kilogram was 155,750 Turkish liras ($40,877) as of 4.30 p.m. local time (1330GMT), up from the previous closing price of 155,700 Turkish liras ($40,722).

The price of Brent oil slightly increased to $64.75 per barrel on Friday evening, compared with Thursday's close at $64.33.