Istanbul Inflation Explosion: Who Is to Blame?

The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) announced the first inflation report of 2026. The monthly 4.56% leap in retail prices pushed the annual inflation to 36.15%. The market reads this data not just as a price increase, but as concrete evidence of the "stickiness" in the economy and the volatility of the minimum wage. According to January data, there was a veritable "price hike race" among spending groups. Public-sourced regulations and the cost pressure of the minimum wage in the service sector pushed the data above expectations. Health (11.94%): The price hike champion of the month. Updates in drug prices and fee increases in private health services pushed this group to the top. Transportation (9.96%): With fuel price hikes and public transport regulations, it came close to double-digit growth. Various Goods and Services (8.52%): The increases in personal care and other services are noteworthy. Restaurants and Hotels (6.22%): The group where the minimum wage increase is ...