ISTANBUL: Turkish banking stocks fell sharply on Thursday as a weakening lira heightened inflation risks and as Citigroup's sale of a near 10 percent stake in Akbank hit the Turkish lender's shares.

The banking index was down 4.1 percent by 1005 GMT, compared to a 2.2 percent fall in the wider Istanbul stock index . Akbank shares were down 5.12 percent.

Copyright Reuters, 2015