TURKEY: ForMin Says Path to Resolving US Sanctions Issue is Open

Nov-17 08:26
  • Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that US President Donald Trump expressed a clear will to resolve the sanctions issue during his meeting in September with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Fidan said both sides are closely following the process and expressed hope for a solution soon. Turkey was sanctioned under Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in 2020 for purchasing Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.
  • Interfax report, citing an interview with the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Director, that Russia is ready to develop military-technical cooperation with Turkey in a variety of areas. He was asked about possible plans to resume negotiations with Turkey on the delivery of an additional batch of S-400 air defense missile systems, as well as Sukhoi Su-57 and Su-35 planes.
  • The Ministry of Trade’s General Directorate of Agreements has requested for Turkey to be exempted from the EU’s decision to remove the customs duty exemption applied to purchases under EUR 150 in 2026. The aim of the EU measures is to curb Chinese e-commerce giants such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress.
  • Turkey's budget deficit narrowed to TRY 223bn in October from a deficit of TRY 310bn in September, according to data released this morning by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. Tax income surged 51.6% y/y to TRY 976bn.
  • No other data releases are scheduled for today. President Erdogan chairs a cabinet meeting this afternoon in Ankara. Meanwhile, the parliament commission is set to debate the Interior Ministry’s 2026 budget.

Historical bullets

LOOK AHEAD: US Week Ahead Headlined By Delayed CPI Report On Friday

Oct-17 20:51
  • The September US CPI report will be released on Friday, delayed amidst the government shutdown but with the BLS making a special exception on social security payment considerations.
  • Bloomberg consensus looks for headline CPI inflation at a rounded 0.4% M/M after 0.38% back in August and for Y/Y inflation to firm two tenths to 3.1% for what would be its highest since May 2024.
  • Core inflation is seen at a rounded 0.3% M/M after 0.35% in August (exceeding the median unrounded estimate of 0.31%) and 0.32% in July. It’s expected to see core CPI inflation hold at 3.1% Y/Y having in August increased to its highest since February.
  • Core details should see focus on both goods and services angles: underlying goods inflation has clearly firmed in recent months on tariff pressures although the median increase has currently seen a peak back in June, whilst services will be watched for any spillover after some strong recent non-housing readings.
  • The report will come within the FOMC blackout period ahead of the Oct 28-29 decision, with a 25bp cut fully priced and likely needing a large surprise to alter this.
  • As for broader inflation details, Fed Chair Powell this week confusingly suggested that we will have the September PPI report but the BLS had previously said “No other releases will be rescheduled or produced until the resumption of regular government services”.

US DATA: Latest Jobless Claims Estimates During The Shutdown

Oct-17 20:30

As noted earlier, MNI estimates initial jobless claims at a seasonally adjusted 218k in the week to Oct 11 and continuing claims at a seasonally adjusted 1929k in the week to Oct 4. 

  • To give a better idea of sensitivity around these estimates, which rely on estimates for some missing states, we note the below analyst estimates:
  • Goldman Sachs have a central estimate of 217k for initial claims in a range of 211-225k, whilst they see continuing claims at 1917k in a range of 1885-1930k.  
  • JPMorgan meanwhile also see 217k for initial claims whilst they see continuing claims as having held constant at 1927k. 

NATGAS: Venture Global in Talks with Ukraine for more LNG Deliveries, Reuters

Oct-17 20:28

Ukraine is seeking more cargoes from Venture’s Plaquemines facility as the embattled nation approaches the winter heating season, according to Reuters sources

  • Venture is in talks with Ukraine’s DTEK to procure more LNG cargoes after a year of gas infrastructure attacks by the Russians.
  • Venture Global CEO Michael Sabel met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday October 16.
  • DTEK signed an agreement in 2024 for an undisclosed amount of LNG from the facility, as well as 2 mtpa from Calcasieu Pass Phase 2 currently under construction.
  • Plaquemines currently has spare capacity to deliver more cargoes to Ukraine on the spot market, per Reuters.
  • Plaquemines now sends out the second highest LNG volume in the US, with feedgas demand averaging 3.45 bcf/d according to MNI figures.