Home sales in Turkey fall 14% y/y in March

Given Turkey's economic difficulties, the central bank and lenders have not moved to provide cheaper loans as desired by ruling politicians.

Turkish consumer confidence sees slight 0.8% m/m gain in April

Figures finalised before the surprise announcement of early elections show a small recovery in sentiment.

Turkey’s end-year inflation expectations climb to 10.07% in April

Regular survey shows respondents expect the rate to be nowhere near the central bank’s 5-7% upper target range.

IMF retains Ukraine economic growth in 2018 at 3.2% y/y

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained its forecast for Ukraine's economic growth in 2018 at 3.2% year-on-year, and reviewed downwards the 2019 forecast to 3.3% y/y from 4% y/y, the multinational lender said in its World Economic Outlook

Only Istanbul stock exchange feels weight of early election call from Erdogan’s junior ally

Benchmark index down 1.76% d/d but Turkish lira and bonds relatively unaffected.

Russia's industrial output disappoints in March, EconMin starts outlook revision

Russia's industrial output in March expanded by 1% year-on-year, slowing down from 1.5% y/y seen in February and 2.9% y/y in January, according to the report by Rosstat statistics service.

EU now top destination for Transnistria's fast-growing exports

Separatist republic benefits from Moldova’s free trade agreement with the EU, with sales to EU countries now outstripping those to Russia fourfold, helping push total exports up 45% y/y to $184mn in Q1.

Romania’s labour market further tightens as unemployment drops

Unemployment dropped to a post-crisis low of just 3.94% in February with the lowest rates in Bucharest and major western cities.

Sustained growth in Turkey’s auto export revenues seen as positive for Ford Otosan and Tofas

Latest data also shows Turkish auto production edged up 1% y/y to 159,464 units in March.

Turkey’s budget deficit expands 4% y/y in March

Across Q1, the deficit widened by 37% y/y to TRY20.4bn while the primary surplus declined by 51% y/y to TRY1.9bn.

Turkey's industrial production grows 9.9% y/y in February

Output growth slowed for the second consecutive month but industrial production has now been in growth territory for an uninterrupted 16 months.

Turkey’s unemployment rate moves up 0.4pp to 10.8% in January

Year on year, however, the figure is a clear improvement on January 2017's 13%.

China-Europe container traffic across EEU to almost double by 2020

Increased transit container traffic through the Eurasian Economic Union will depend on trade between China and the EU, but transit states will need to expand their transport infrastructure and remove a number of barriers, EDB report says.

Moldovan industry posts robust growth in January-February

4.1% growth in first two months of 2018 indicates the economy has returned to the strong growth cycle started at the end of 2016, which seemed to have stalled at the end of last year.

After a skyrocketing 2017 Istanbul stock exchange may be in for a trend reversal

Some $20bn erased from value of Turkish equities since start of April amid country's litany of economic and political woes.

Polish inflation slowdown confirmed as CPI expands just 1.3% y/y in March

The slowdown in inflation will only entrench the Monetary Policy Council in its dovish position.

Ukraine central bank keeps key rate unchanged at 17%

Romania’s inflation nears 5% y/y in March

Central bank expects inflation to subside once effects of loose fiscal and income policies pursued by the government dissipate.

Bulgaria reports bleak demographic data

Populations declined across all regions of Bulgaria in 2017 as deaths outstripped births and large-scale emigration continued.

Turkish central bank reports $299mn of portfolio outflows in week ending April 6

Turkish equities experience net decrease of $57mn while debt securities lose $242mn in week to April 6.