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Istanbul stocks

slightly changed

in thin trade

ISTANBUL: Shares on Istanbul's stock exchange ended slightly higher after extremely narrow and selective trade caused by the continuing cash shortage in the market, brokers said.

The IMKB-100 closed up 174.44 points, or 038 percent higher at 45,717.42 after moving between 45,212 and 45,666.

Traders volume weakened to 5.68 trillion lira from Friday's 7.79 trillion.

Brokers said most investors kept to the sidelines amid political concerns ahead of a September 9 congress of the junior coalition partner Republican People's Party (CHP).

In the absence of resh cash entry, activity focused on state-owned shares which have major impact on the composite index with their large market capitalizations, brokers added.

"Prices again remained in tight ranges. The market is too much indexed to political issues like the CHP congress and squibbling within the (senior coalition partner) DYP," said Hasan Soydan from Garanti investment bank.

"But the real problem is the lack of institutional investors in the bourse," he added.-Reuter