Turkey's monetary policy stance will be tightened further in case a significant and persistent deterioration in inflation is foreseen, the cental bank said on Thursday as it hiked its key rate to 46% in a surprise move.

"The Committee will adjust the policy rate prudently on a meeting-by-meeting basis with a focus on the inflation outlook," the bank's policy-setting committee said in announcing the rate decision.

(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Daren Butler)