The death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip rose to 212, including 61 children, 35 women and 16 elderly people, while 1,400 people were injured during the offensive, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pope Francis spoke over the phone and discussed these attacks. Erdogan said a ferocity is happening in Palestine and addressees of Israel’s attacks are not only Palestinians but all Muslims, Christians and humanity, according to a statement from the Communications Directorate.
President Erdogan also called on the UN, UN Security Council, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international organizations to act against the oppression of Palestinians as well as on the Jerusalem issue during his speech after the cabinet meeting.
Other outcome of the cabinet meeting announced by Erdogan was that a new support package has been introduced for more than 1.3 million craftspeople and tradespeople having difficulties due to the pandemic and lockdown. Accordingly TRY 4.6bn will be donated in total to crafts people and tradespeople in two groups. The first group will get a one-shot TRY 5,000 while the second group will be paid TRY 3,000.
In the meantime, USD/TRY which rose to 8.50 last week with the impact of the surprise inflation data from the U.S., started the week at 8.30, and hovering around 8.32-8.33 this morning. EUR/TRY dropped below 10.10 after it climbed all-time highs to 10.30, and traded at 10.17.
Gold prices started to decline from USD 1,875 with the impact of weakness in USD at international markets. Increase of yields of the 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds to 1.65% has led gold prices to fall. Spot gold is traded at USD 1,869 this morning. Oil prices, meanwhile, slightly exceeded USD 70.
DAILY AGENDA
The short-term external debt stock increased by 1.7% to USD 140.8bn in March, compared to the end of 2020, according to the Central Bank.
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance will issue gold bond and gold denominated lease certificate with 1-year maturity.
