Turkey Manufacturing Downturn Softest in a Year

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry Türkiye Manufacturing PMI edged down to 48.1 in January 2026 from 48.9 in December, remaining below the 50.0 threshold for the twenty-second consecutive month. The reading signaled a mild deterioration in manufacturing conditions, with subdued demand as new orders declined further and export orders weakened more sharply than overall business. In response, manufacturers continued to scale back output, extending the downturn in production to nearly two years. Employment and purchasing activity also decreased, reflecting softer workloads and ongoing caution among firms. On the price front, inflationary pressures heightened, with input costs rising at the fastest pace since April 2024 due to higher raw material prices, while output prices climbed at a near two-year high. An analyst at the Istanbul Chamber of Industry commented that manufacturing entered 2026 much as it ended last year, with demand conditions still weak and production slowing.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry Türkiye Manufacturing PMI rose to 48.9 in December 2025 from 48.0 in November, marking the softest contraction in a year. New orders and export orders declined at the softest pace since March 2024, reflecting some improvement in customer demand. Output fell for the twenty-first consecutive month, though at the slowest pace in 12 months. Employment and purchasing activity contracted only slightly, with the smallest reductions since March 2025, while inventories of purchases and finished goods fell solidly. Inflationary pressures picked up, with input costs rising sharply amid higher raw material prices and selling prices increasing at the fastest pace in eight months. An analyst at the Istanbul Chamber of Industry commented that the PMI’s rise gives Turkish manufacturing momentum into 2026, with improved demand supporting milder slowdowns in output, orders, and employment.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry Türkiye Manufacturing PMI rose to 48 in November 2025 from 46.5 in October. This was the 20th consecutive month of contraction, albeit the softest since February. New orders continued to drop amid subdued demand, but the pace of decline was the slowest since August, resulting in a milder moderation of output. Employment was scaled back only slightly and to the least extent since March. Purchasing activity, however, was reduced markedly, with sharper falls in stocks of both purchases and finished goods. Meanwhile, suppliers' delivery times lengthened marginally after a slight improvement in vendor performance in October. Turning to prices, input costs increased at the slowest pace in nearly a year, while selling prices rose at the weakest rate recorded year-to-date.