Turkish lira slides to record low of 8 against dollar
Turkey’s lira on Monday set a new record low against the US dollar after the central bank refused to raise its main interest rate and tensions increased sharply with the country’s Western allies, AFP reported.
It is noted that the lira was at 8.03 against the dollar at around 0730 GMT, suffering a loss of nearly one percent since the start of the day.
The Turkish currency also recorded its lowest level against the euro, trading near 9.52.
The lira has lost 26 percent of its value against the dollar since the start of the year, the news agency said.
The lira’s decline comes at a time of strained relations with NATO allies including France, Greece and the United States over multiple issues.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan angered Paris after he said his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron needed to have “mental checks” at the weekend.
France responded by recalling its ambassador to Ankara and on Saturday described Erdogan’s comments as “unacceptable.”