Demand for flat steel was still soft in Turkey in the week ended Friday October 18 because of falling steel prices globally, but sentiment was better than in previous weeks because of the halting of a Turkish military operation in Syria.
International politics have a significant bearing on trade in the region at the moment. US President Donald Trump has been widely criticized for his decision to withdraw US forces from an area of northern Syria where Kurdish militias were instrumental in suppressing Islamic State. The Kurds, themselves regarded by Turkey as terrorists, have now allied with Syrian forces in a strip along the Turkey-Syria border where Turkey wants to repatriate Syrian refugees.Turkey launched its Operation Peace Spring military action on October 9...