Turkey's SPK Extends Borsa Istanbul Short-Selling Ban Through 26 May
Turkey's capital-markets regulator extended its ban on short selling on Borsa Istanbul equities to the close of trading on 26 May 2026. The decision lands in a week marked by choppy trading on the BIST 100 and persistent geopolitical pressure from the Iran war.
Turkey's Capital Markets Board (SPK) said it would keep the ban on short selling on Borsa Istanbul equities in place until the close of trading on 26 May 2026. The measure was first imposed in mid-April when the Iran war flared up and has been rolled forward in steps since.
The BIST 100 ended the week down about 1.8% in dollar terms, with the banking index leading a choppy session pattern. Market participants are now waiting for any signal on a sunset for the ban; brokers continue to argue that the restriction is hurting liquidity and price discovery on Istanbul's main board.
The SPK extension lands alongside the Treasury's planned external bond issuance and the central bank's mid-year policy review. Foreign investors are reported to be cautious in adjusting positions, while leveraged turnover on Borsa Istanbul has visibly slowed since the original ban took effect.
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