Turkey’s economy is surging ahead of tough membership negotiations with the EU, but debt problems persist. The Erdogan government has much work to do, reports Metin Demirsar from Istanbul.

EU convergence and a strong economy are attracting foreign banks, reports Michael Kuser in Istanbul.

Turkey is seeking to draw more foreign investment with EU membership talks on the horizon and improved economic fundamentals.

Turkey’s banking system recorded strong growth in 2004 but systematic weaknesses continue. The country’s 48 banks are having to learn to cope with a low inflation environment.

Turkey is pushing ahead with privatisation of its overstaffed, money-losing state enterprises in the run up to EU membership.

A decade in the making, Turkey’s derivatives exchange aims to reduce risk in foreign currency, commodities and share trading. 

OYAK’s chief executive Coskun Ulusoy explains the secret of the pension fund’s success to Michael Kuser in Istanbul.

Michael Kuser reports on the latest developments on the Istanbul Stock Exchange and capital markets.

Sureyya Serdengecti, governor of the Central Bank of Turkey and The Banker’s Global Central Banker of the Year, discusses his strategy and the challenges ahead.

BNP Paribas has acquired 50% of TEB Financial Investments AS from Turkey’s Colakoglu Group for $216.8m. The sales agreement, signed in Istanbul on February 11, means that the French bank now has control of a 42.2% stake in Türk Ekonomi Bankas¦ (TEB), a midsize Turkish bank. The development came as European banks stepped up a campaign to buy shares in Turkish banks, ahead of the start of Turkey’s membership talks with the EU in October.