UPDATE 1-Turkish March c/a deficit $4.157 bln, tops forecast

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ISTANBUL, May 9 (Reuters) - Turkey's current account deficit rose 37 percent year-on-year to $4.157 billion in March, the central bank said on Friday, compared to a Reuters poll forecast of a $3.7 billion deficit.

In February, the current account deficit was $3.76 billion according to revised figures from the central bank.

A chronic foreign trade deficit contributes to the current account deficit. The trade gap rose 25.4 percent year-on-year to $5.36 billion. Turkey exports processed goods to Europe from imported raw materials.

In the first quarter as a whole the current account deficit climbed 30.3 percent year-on-year to $12.04 billion. Net foreign capital inflows fell 50.5 percent to $4.039 billion during the same period.

Rising petrol prices also have weighed heavily on the country's current account, which is seen as Turkey's main macroeconomic weak spot and makes the country sensitive to fluctuations in investor sentiment.