Turkey's inflation hits a 19-year high as lira falls

ANKARA: Turkey’s yearly inflation climbed by the fastest pace in 19 years, jumping to 36.08% in December, official data showed on Monday.

The Turkish Statistical Institute said the consumer price index increased by 13.58% in December from the previous month, further eroding people's purchasing power. The yearly increase in food prices was 43.8%, the data showed.

The yearly inflation rate was the highest since September 2002.

Inflation has been rising in the country while the Turkish lira has been slumping to record lows after the country's central bank, under pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut a key interest rate by 5 percentage points in September.

The weakened lira has made imports, fuel and everyday items more expensive and has left many in the country of some 84 million struggling to buy food and other basic goods. Many have been purchasing foreign currencies and gold to protect their savings.

Last month, Erdogan announced measures to safeguard lira deposits against volatility after the Turkish currency hit an all-time low of 18.36 against the dollar. The lira rebounded following the announcement but has since lost some of those gains. The lira depreciated by around 44% against the dollar last year.

Erdogan insists on lowering borrowing costs to boost growth, even though economists argue that higher interest rates are the way to tame soaring prices.

Meanwhile, the independent Inflation Research Group, made up of academics and former government officials, put the yearly inflation rate at a much higher 83%. It said consumer prices rose by 19.35% in December compared with November.