Turkey - Factors to Watch on Nov 23

ISTANBUL, Nov 23 - Here are press reports, news and events that could affect Turkish financial markets on Monday.

The lira <IYIX=> was trading at 1.491 against the dollar in early trade, compared with Friday's close of 1.4955. The yield on the Aug 3, 2011, benchmark bond <0#TRTSYSUM=IS> rose to 8.80 percent from a previous 8.75 percent. The main share index <.XU100> fell 1.92 percent to 45,231.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Gold rose more than 1 percent to a record high as concerns about accelerating inflation and weak economic growth prompted investors to seek relatively safer assets. Supply concerns boosted oil and copper.

Asian stocks also rose, led by gains in Australia thanks to higher-resource stocks, although volumes were light with Japan out on holiday. [nSP471682]

TOURIST NUMBERS

ISTANBUL - October foreign arrivals data is due to be released by Tourism Ministry .

BANK ASYA <ASYAB.IS>

Shares in the Islamic lender have risen 156 percent since the start of 2009, but large sales of shares by its board of directors have raised eyebrows, Referans newspaper reports.

TEB <TEBNK.IS>

Turk Ekonomi Bankasi plans to place 1,250 cash machines in locations such as discount supermarkets, cafes and shopping centres by 2012, Referans says.

BOTAS

The state-owned pipeline operator must pay the BP-led <BP.L> Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil link $25 million after losing a court case over delays to the pipeline, Referans says.

RAY SIGORTA <RAYSG.IS>

Chief Executive Nuzhet Atabak says competition over prices in the sector has become "dangerous" and that Ray Sigorta is revising its market-share target, Dunya newspaper reports. Dogan Holding <DOHOL.IS> owns 10 percent of Ray Sigorta.

MOTOR INSURANCE

Insurers will raise premiums on motor insurance at the start of next year after the Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies revises its recommended price list, Hurriyet newspaper says.

TECHNOLOGY MARKET

Turkey's technology market shrank by 5.6 percent in the third quarter, according to research group GFK, Radikal newspaper reports.

R&D SPENDING

Large companies are boosting their spending on research and development, despite the economic crisis, in particular the information technology-electronics, automotive and health sectors, Radikal says, citing a study.

NOTE - For a diary of forthcoming events, see [TR/DIARY].

For other related news, double click on: Turkish politics [TR-POL] Turkish equities [TR-E] Turkish money [TR-M] Turkish debt [TR-D] Turkish hot stocks [TR-HOT] Forex news [FRX] All emerging market news [EMRG] All Turkish news [TR]

For real-time quotes, double click on: Istanbul National-100 stock index <.XU100>, Interbank lira trading <IYIX=>, lira bond trading <0#TRTSYSUM=IS>.