Chart Of The Day: Turkish Lira Headed Lower

 | Jun 02, 2021 09:35AM ET

Turkey’s economy grew 7% in the first quarter, outperforming most G20 peers. However, when factoring in the exchange rate, the data tells a different story.

The country’s GDP per capita in US dollar terms plunged almost 40% since 2013 to $7,700 last year, rendering the country’s economy unsustainable as its expansion is carried by government spending and lending.

And just now, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for lower interest rates—a reoccurring theme going back years—against the better judgment of many economists.

The president is pandering to the populace and blaming the European Union and the US, who have enjoyed zero or near-zero rates, for the country’s economic ails.

Now, Erdogan is demanding that the central bank lower rates after he fired the bank's governor, Naci Agbal and deputy governor, Murat Cetinkaya.

After Turkey’s president made this announcement on television in March, the Turkish lira dropped to a new record low.

We expect the lira to further weaken.