GLOBAL MARKETS An index of Asian stocks eased back from more than two-week highs on Tuesday as traders squared positions heading into a key U.S. inflation report, although mainland Chinese shares and Japanese equities bucked the trend. The dollar ticked higher against major peers as U.S. yields remained elevated amid increased confidence that the banking sector is not headed for a wider crisis.
ERDOGAN ACCUSATIONS President Tayyip Erdogan accused the opposition on Monday of provoking disorder and siding with terrorists, without providing evidence, in a fiery speech days before close and increasingly fractious elections. He appeared to suggest his opponents had incited confrontations a day earlier when crowds threw stones at a key opposition figure in the eastern city of Erzurum, a stronghold of the president's AK Party.
ERDOGAN PROGRAMME President Erdogan holds election rallies in the western province of Aydin (1100 GMT) and the southern city of Adana (1400 GMT), five days before presidential and parliamentary votes that represent his toughest ever political challenge.
OPPOSITION CANDIDATE Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the main opposition alliance candidate facing Erdogan in Sunday's elections, holds rallies in the northwestern provinces of Bolu (1000 GMT), Duzce (1200 GMT) and Sakarya (1400 GMT).
BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL The United Nations said no ships were inspected on Sunday or Monday under a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, which Moscow has threatened to quit on May 18 over obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports.
BOND AUCTIONS The Treasury will tap a five-year fixed coupon bond maturing on March 8, 2028 and a 10-year CPI-indexed bond maturing on Jan. 12.
SABANCI HOLDING The conglomerate announced a net profit of 6.09 billion lira ($312 million) in the first quarter, down from 8.25 billion lira a year earlier.
BIM MAGAZALARI The grocery chain said its net profit edged up to 1.35 billion lira in the first quarter from 1.34 billion the previous year.
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