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Istanbul shares

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ISTANBUL: Istanbul shares ended 1.06 percent lower, having lost strength in a dull and sales-dominated session, brokers said.

The IMKB-100 closed 1.06 percent or 489.77 points lower at 45,542.98. Daily volume was 7.79 trillion lira, down from Thursday's 9.9 trillion.

"There was not enough cash in the bourse to pierce the resistance 46,000 level. The index eased mainly due to the sales of those traders who wanted cash in their hands over the weekend", Fatih Sarisu, broker at Arab Turkish Bank, said.

Brokers said the "Friday panic" had dominated the sentiment on the Istanbul exchange, with traders anxiously emptying their portfolios ahead of the weekend.

The 21-share financial index after hitting a minimum of 35,416 in the session, ended 1.83 percent down at 35,977. The 79-share industrial index lost 0.84 percent to finish at 51,888.

Profit-taking sales, coming for the gainers of the morning session, also weighed down the index. Among these shares were those of the construction-oriented Enka Holding, textiles firm Tumteks and the electronic equipment producer Aselsan.

Aselsan ended the day unchanged at 5,800 lira while Tumteks closed 1,200 lira higher at 11,500. The blue chip Eregli shares lost 100 lira to end at 6,600.

Of the 205 shares traded, 115 lost while 40 gained and 50 shares ended unchanged.

The Istanbul index eased by a meager 0.03 percent since the beginning of the week.-Reuter