The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported on Thursday a mixed picture for the country's trade sector in October 2025, with retail sales showing robust annual growth while overall trade volume contracted slightly on a monthly basis.

On a year-over-year basis, the overall trade sales volume index (2021=100) rose by 7.4% in October 2025 compared to October 2024. The standout performer was the retail trade sector, which saw a substantial increase of 15.0% over the same period.

The data also revealed positive annual growth in other sub-sectors. The combined category of wholesale and retail trade, and the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 9.1%. The wholesale trade sector experienced a more moderate annual rise of 3.8%.

When compared to the previous month (September 2025), the overall trade sales volume index declined by 3.6%. This monthly decrease was primarily driven by a significant 6.1% drop in wholesale trade volume.

However, the retail sector demonstrated relative stability on a monthly basis, recording a slight increase of 0.2%. The broader category for motor vehicles and motorcycles trade and repair also edged up by 0.8% month-over-month.

The data suggests a divergence between wholesale and retail activity in the short term, with consumer-facing retail trade holding steady while business-to-business wholesale transactions saw a sharper pullback. The strong annual figures for retail, however, indicate a resilient consumer sector over the longer period.

The Turkish Statistical Institute's report provides a key snapshot of domestic economic activity and consumption trends as the country progresses through the final quarter of 2025. (ILKHA)