Good morning, friends. Business news is very much taking a backseat this morning, with unbelievably welcome news that Israel's relentless onslaught on the people of Gaza should come to an end once a permanent ceasefire is enacted on Sunday. That said, we’ve also got you covered on the local business front as we wrap up the end of the week.

PSA-

WEATHER- It’s cooling a couple of degrees in a overcast Cairo today, with a high of 21°C and a low of 13°C, according to our favorite weather app.

It’s more of the same in Alexandria, with a high of 21°C and a low of 12°C.

And over the weekend, expect to see temperatures remain at about the same point in the capital and dip a couple of degrees for our friends on the Mediterranean.

Heavy fog is once again forecast for today and tomorrow morning up and down the country, so take extra care on the roads, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned.

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WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- FRA mulling regulatory framework for fractional real estate investments: The Financial Regulatory Authority is currently studying a new regulatory framework that would govern fractional investments in the real estate sector, with the authority currently in talks with a number of real estate developers interested in adopting the approach, authority head Mohamed Farid told Hapi Journal.

We saw this coming: Nawy CEO Mohamed El Beltagy told us earlier this year that his company has been working with the authority on legislation to enable fractional real estate investments.

What we know: The new regulations will apply to fractional investments in all real estate holdings whether residential, commercial, or service-oriented, and will govern all players within the investment process — including the underlying asset holder, the promoter and underwriter, and the real estate appraiser.

More fractional investment assets coming? The authority plans to roll out fractional ownership regulations for other assets in the future, Farid told the outlet.

#2- Public Investment Fund arm-backed MMA outfit Professional Fighter League (PFL) is looking to hold its first event in Egypt, as the organization seeks to expand its current presence in the region outside of Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reports, Founder and chairman Donn Davis pencilled in the league’s arrival to Om El Donia for 2026 — although talks with the government are yet to take place.

The organization is also eyeing expansion into Dubai and Qatar, with negotiations currently ongoing with the countries’ governments.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

One story is on every front page this morning: Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement that would pause the war on Gaza and see both sides exchange hostages starting Sunday and for six weeks. The agreement will unfold over three phases, with the first phase seeing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and a full ceasefire. (Reuters | AP | Bloomberg | FT | CNBC | WSJ | NYTimes)

Why now? While ceasefire negotiations have been happening on and off for over a year, the Financial Times claims that president-elect Donald Trump’s threat that there would be “hell to pay” if he took office before the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza “injected renewed momentum into the long-stalled talks.”

What’s next? The AP dives into what the agreement means for Israel, Hamas, and the region.

**We’ve got more on the monumental news in the issue below.

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