S&P upgrades Turkey's ratings to 'BB-' in second raise this year

S&P Global raised Turkey's long-term sovereign credit ratings to "BB-" from "B+" on Friday, its second upgrade from the credit ratings agency this year, citing reserve accumulation and disinflation due to tight monetary stance of the Turkish central bank.

"With no scheduled national elections until 2028, Turkish policymakers appear to have space to implement policies to compress demand and inflation, via gradual fiscal and incomes policy tightening," S&P said in a statement.

In September, Turkey's annual inflation fell to 49.38%, standing below the central bank's policy rate for the first time since 2021.

Turkey's central bank sees inflation falling to 38% at the end of this year and 14% in the following year, while the government anticipates end-2024 and end-2025 inflation of 41.5% and 17.5%, respectively.

The ratings agency said that further upgrades could occur if there is more progress in reducing inflation to single-digit levels and restoring long-term confidence in the Turkish lira and domestic capital markets.

Peer agencies Fitch and Moody's have also raised Turkey's ratings this year due to improved fiscal policy.

S&P also revised Turkey's outlook to "stable" from "positive" to reflect balanced risks to authorities' ambitious plans to bring down elevated inflation, manage wage expectations and rebalance the economy.