Good morning, friends. We hope the long weekend left you refreshed and ready to tackle another work week. We lead today’s issue with energy news following reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put our USD 35 bn gas export agreement on ice as tensions between the two nations approach their peak after Netanyahu once again called for the displacement of Gazans into Egypt.

AND IN MACRO NEWS- Non-oil private sector activity stayed in contraction in August for the sixth consecutive month as output and new orders fell.

PSA-

WEATHER- The temps are cooling and it looks like we’re finally approaching the much-anticipated fall. Today, Cairo is looking at a high of 33°C and a low of 23°C, according to our favorite weather app. And for the rest of the week, the mercury will remain below 34°C, giving us reason to start dusting off our light jackets.

It’s a little cooler in Alexandria today, which will see a high of 30°C and a low of 23°C.

DATA POINT-

Financial inclusion in Egypt reached 76.3% in June 2025, with 53.8 mn citizens having active bank or Egypt Post accounts, mobile wallet, or prepaid cards, up from 74.8% at the end of last year, according to a CBE statement (pdf). Financial inclusion among women hit 70.0%, up 1.2 percentage points from December, while youth inclusion rose 1.3 percentage points to 54.4% over the same period.

HAPPENING TODAY-

It’s day two of the Metal and Steel Exhibition at the Egypt International Exhibition Center. The three-day event gathers steel and metal players from across the region to showcase products and launch new innovations in the market.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The Cairo Regional Forum on Financing Renewables, Green Hydrogen, and Green Ammonia will take place on 17-18 September at Nile University. The event — hosted by the GH2 International Green Hydrogen Center of Excellence in Cairo — will bring together governments, developers, financiers, and multilateral partners to advance investment and collaboration on renewables, green hydrogen, and green ammonia projects across the region.

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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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Washington, DC, yesterday to demand that President Donald Trump end the ongoing deployment of National Guard troops across the capital. The ‘We Are All DC’ march came in response to what demonstrators described as an authoritarian escalation, following Trump’s decision to place the city’s police under federal control. The president first ordered the deployment last month, citing rising crime, despite Justice Department data showing violent crime in the capital fell to a 30-year low in 2024.

Next stop: Chicago: Trump has signaled that Chicago could be next, warning in a post on Truth Social that the city would “find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” The post followed an executive order issued Friday that officially renames the Department of Defense the Department of War — its pre-1947 title. (Reuters | Washington Post | AP)

CLOSER TO HOME- Israel has set up a so-called “humanitarian area” in Khan Younis, claiming to equip it with field hospitals, water infrastructure, and food and med supplies, as the military expands its ground operation toward Gaza City. The Israeli army said deliveries will be coordinated with the UN and other aid groups, while its Arabic-language spokesperson has called on Palestinians to move to the designated zone. (Bloomberg | New York Times | Reuters)

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