Turkish, French presidents speak by phone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron spoke over the phone on Thursday about economic and financial ties, according to presidential sources.

"Both leaders emphasised the importance of fostering economic and trade relations as well as mutual investments," the source said.

They also agreed on a meeting between the two countries' finance ministers "as soon as possible."

The high-level conversation comes as Turkey shows signs of a rapprochement with European countries amid an on-going trade and diplomatic spat with the United States that triggered a Turkish currency crisis.

The Turkish currency showed a rebound on Thursday after losing over 16 percent of its value last Friday, following US President Donald Trump doubling aluminium and steel tariffs on Ankara.

Erdogan held a similar conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday.

Finance Minister Berat Albayrak addressed hundreds of foreign investors through a teleconference on Thursday, in an apparent attempt to reassure the markets.

Albayrak also spoke with his German counterpart Olaf Scholz on the phone, where the two ministers agreed to "take steps in order to reinforce economic co-operation," Albayrak's office said in a statement on Thursday.