IslamicFinance.de

Turkey’s government seized control of Islamic lender Bank Asya and dismissed its executives, marking the latest extraordinary step in a highly politicized monthslong battle over the company. Late on Tuesday, the country’s banking watchdog transferred 63% of Bank Asya’s preferred shares into the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund, which answers directly to the prime minister. The fund then replaced the bank’s leadership with a new chief executive and board of directors. The bank’s shares, which have been allowed to trade only one houreach afternoon since September, dropped 1 kurus to 60 kurus (25 cents), a record low, and then rose to 63 kurus as Istanbul’s market closed.