Good morning, friends. We have a packed issue for you this morning, so we’re going to jump right in.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Gulf countries have been reticent to earmark fresh assistance for Egypt — is the war in Gaza changing how they see things? Bankers and analysts tell Reuters that the conflict may be prompting Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to rethink their shift away from no-strings-attached financial assistance packages for Egypt. Gulf countries are considering fresh assistance in the form of cash deposits and post-devaluation support for the EGP, according to two Cairo-based bankers. Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, added that “I have felt a change in sentiment in the Gulf.”

FYI-

  • This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this:Chatter in the local press last month claimed Saudi Arabia and the UAE could deposit another USD 5 bn at the CBE — but we think there’s a good chance that was likely referring to the rollover of maturing portions of existing deposits.
  • KSA + UAE deposits already account for 60% of our FX reserves: About 85% of our USD 35 bn FX reserve stockpile is made up of deposits from Arab nations. The UAE has provided USD 10.7 bn and Saudi Arabia’s deposits stand at USD 10.3 bn.

#2- SFE to finalize hotels sale this year -Soliman: The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (SFE) will finalize the sale of a stake in a group of historic hotels by the end of the year, SFE boss Ayman Soliman told Reuters last week in New York. “They’re going to turn around those trophy assets in Egypt and with a view of taking those public as well,” Soliman said. The portfolio includes seven properties, among them the Cairo Marriott, Marriott Mena House, the Winter Palace, and the Cecil.

Refresher: The Planning Ministry said in July it had agreed to sell a 37% stake in the government’s hotels holding company to a group that includes a unit of EGX-listed hotel and real estate player TMG and unnamed foreign investors for USD 700 mn. An unconfirmed report last month claimed that the consortium will increase its stake to 51%.

FROM THE RUMOR MILL-

Euroclear talks at loggerheads? Talks between the Madbouly government and European clearinghouse Euroclear have allegedly broken down due to disagreements about the taxation of Egyptian debt, Al Borsa reported yesterday, citing unnamed sources. Euroclear requires that all bills and bonds issued by the Finance Ministry be exempt from tax, a condition that has been “categorically rejected” by the government, according to the news outlet. Egypt currently exempts foreign investors from tax on interest from local-currency debt, but imposes a 20% levy on local investors.

Remember: We have for years been in talks to make our debt “euroclearable,” a step that would make local-currency bonds more accessible to foreign investors and boost capital inflows. The government has set up a new securities depository to handle settlement of bills and bonds in what was one of the key requirements to clearing EGP debt at the Belgium-based clearinghouse.

Last we heard: Finance Minister Mohamed Maait in May voiced optimism that an agreement would be finalized by the end of the year.

HELP GAZA-

Want to support relief efforts in Gaza, but don’t know how? We’ve got you. More than 1 mn people in Gaza have been thrown from their homes and every human being there lacks access to food, water, and fuel amid the most intense bombardment any population has endured this century.

The folks at Talabat are processing donations for a range of Gaza relief appeals by charities including the Egyptian Food Bank and Misr El Kheir. Pay in EGP using your credit card.

Or check out our list of charities to which you can make direct donations via bank deposit and / or Fawry.

ELECTION 2023-

December’s presidential election is officially a four-horse raceafter the National Elections Authority allowed all of the provisional candidates onto the ballot. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will face challenges from the Republican People’s Party’s Hazem Omar, Al Wafd’s Abdel Sanad Yamama, and the head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, Farid Zahran, according to a decision published in the Official Gazette on Thursday.

Remember: The nation goes to the polls on 10-12 December. Egyptian expats will vote 10 days earlier on 1-3 December. Bloomberg was among the international media outlets to give the decision some ink.

HAPPENING TODAY-

Inflation figures are due: We’re expecting the Central Bank of Egypt to be out with core inflation figures for October later today. Annual urban inflation slowed for the first time in six months in October, according to figures released by Capmas on Thursday. We have the full story in this morning’s news well, below.

The House is back in session: MPs will reconvene for two days this week. On the agenda:

  • Today: MPs will vote on draft laws including amendments to the Penal Code that would toughen penalties for harassment and amendments to the Child Act that would strengthen child protections.
  • Tomorrow:Amendments to the 2020 SMEs law will be up for a vote. The changes would grant financing handed out by the SMEs Development Agency the same exemptions and benefits afforded under the Banking Act.

ALSO-

THE BIG STORIES ABROAD-

It’s another morning with the international pages fixated on the war on Gaza and the not-so-functional US Congress, which is trying its best to avoid a shutdown when federal funding expires on 17 November. A plan put forward by newly appointed House Speaker Mike Johnson to keep the government operating for a little while longer faced harsh criticism from both sides of the House and was denounced by Democratic Senator Patty Murray as the “craziest, stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of.” (Associated Press | Reuters | Bloomberg | Financial Times | New York Times | Washington Post | WSJ)

ALSO- There are more than murmurs of dissent in the US government against the administration’s anything goes Gaza policy: Thousands of State Department and USAID officials are speaking out against the Biden administration’s Israel policy and are calling for a ceasefire, according to leaked dissent letters picked up by Reuters and Politico.

IN FINANCE NEWS- Mark Mobius is retiring. If you invest in emerging markets or serve foreign public-market investors as an investment banker, you owe Mark your job. The 87-year-old icon was one of the most high-profile leaders of the movement to make emerging markets an asset class back in the 1980s. Mark will leave Mobius Capital Partners some time in the coming months, the firm said. The news is getting wide attention in the international business press: Financial Times | Bloomberg.

MARKET WATCH-

DATA POINT- Egyptians brought 3.3 tons of gold from abroad in the six months after the government’s decision in May allowed imports of up to 150 grams of gold without any customs charges, Asharq Business reports, citing an anonymous government source.

ICYMI: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly decided last week to extend zero-customs exemption for gold imports until 10 May 2024 after 24 carat gold surged on Wednesday to EGP 3k per gram for the first time.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

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