GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares edged up on Monday while bond markets held their breath ahead of an update on the U.S. rate outlook from the world's most powerful central banker, and a jobs report that could decide if the next hike needs to be super-sized. There was some disappointment that Beijing chose to lowball its growth outlook with a target of 5%, rather than the 5.5%-plus favoured by the market, but the recent run of actual data has been strong enough to keep investors optimistic.
CABINET MEETING President Tayyip Erdogan will chair a meeting of the cabinet of ministers, with the focus on presidential and parliamentary elections set to be held on May 14, just three months after a devastating earthquake (1200 GMT).
OPPOSITION ALLIANCE The main opposition alliance will hold a meeting in Ankara after which they are expected to announce their candidate to challenge Erdogan in the presidential election (1100 GMT). The five remaining leaders of the alliance renewed their commitment to its original principles on Saturday after the IYI Party quit in disagreement over the presidential candidate.
PRO-KURDISH PARTY A leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish party called on the opposition to unite on Saturday, a day after the six-party alliance aiming to defeat Erdogan splintered over who should run for president.
EARTHQUAKE DEATH TOLL The death toll in Turkey from last month's massive earthquakes has risen to 45,968, Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Saturday, with 4,267 of those killed in Turkey being Syrian citizens.
TREASURY AUCTIONS The Treasury will tap a nine-month zero coupon bill maturing on Dec. 13, 2023 and a 10-year fixed coupon bond maturing on Oct. 13, 2032 (1100 GMT).
REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATE The Central Bank will announce the real effective exchange rate for February (1130 GMT).
BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that Ankara is working hard to extend a U.N.-backed initiative that has enabled Ukraine to export grain from ports blockaded by Russia following its invasion. The Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July allowed grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports. The agreement was extended in November and will expire on March 18 unless an extension is agreed.
U.S. IN SYRIA The nearly eight-year-old U.S. deployment to Syria to combat Islamic State is still worth the risk, the top U.S. military officer said on Saturday, after a rare, unannounced visit to a dusty base in the country's northeast to meet U.S. troops.
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