Good morning friends, and happy first Friday of Ramadan. It’s been a calmer-than-usual week in the press, and we’ve got the full rundown for you below. Still unsure what to watch after iftar? You might want to check out our guide to Ramadan 2026 series.

In Ramadan, gatherings are aplenty, but sometimes preparing an entire feast from scratch can get pretty exhausting pretty quickly — you don’t have to. In this week’s edition of The Enterprise Guide, we’re listing our favorite catering services that will do all the heavy lifting so you can sit back and savor the moment.

🗞️ LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

PRIVATIZATION WATCH-

#1- Egypt is moving its most iconic state-owned hotels under the Sovereign Fund of Egypt in a bid to accelerate foreign investment and unlock higher returns from tourism assets. The assets, currently overseen by the Holding Company for Tourism and the former Public Business Sector Ministry, will be transferred following the ministry’s dissolution.

#2- The government is preparing to unveil a new list of state-owned enterprises slated for listing on the EGX, in a renewed push to revive its privatization program while keeping a close eye on market liquidity.

#3- Several large-scale hotel and residential projects will be offered up along the Nile — a move that could significantly change the face of the city. The recently approved plan will see significant changes along 11 km of the Nile and bordering areas in Maadi and Dar El Salam.

ECONOMY-

FinMin is moving beyond simple debt reduction toward a structural overhaul of the local bond market, with the finalized public debt strategy aiming to aggressively lengthen average maturities, slash interest costs, and bring the debt-to-GDP ratio down.

AND- The ministry is preparing to roll out a sweeping package of 49 tax and customs reforms designed to catalyze capital markets and drive both foreign direct investment and portfolio inflows;

DEBT-

The Finance Ministry will debut its first retail-focused “Citizen Bond” (Sanad El Mowaten) for individual investors this Sunday, Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk announced. The 18-month, fixed-income instrument will be sold exclusively through Egypt Post’s nationwide network.

SOCIAL SECURITY-

The Madbouly government is combating pre-Ramadan inflation, earmarking EGP 40.3 bn for a massive social support package. The first phase is designed to get support to families quickly, ahead of Ramadan and through Eid, when spending typically rises.

REAL ESTATE-

Hassan Allam Holding is expanding its real estate presence in KSA with the launch of Noor Khuzam, an SAR 3.3 bn integrated residential community in North Riyadh. The project, developed in a partnership between Hassan Allam’s newly established development arm Grova Developments, Saudi Arabia’s Tilal Real Estate, and the National Housing Company, will build over 3k units across 228k sqm.

DEVELOPMENT FINANCE-

The International Finance Corporation is putting USD 208 mn to work across Egypt and East Africa, targeting engines of everyday economic life, including banks that lend to small businesses, companies that manufacture medical equipment, and platforms that move food from suppliers to consumers.

HOSPITALITY-

Talaat Moustafa Group is handing over the operations of two of its landmark heritage hotels to Mandarin Oriental. The Hong Kong–based global luxury hotel operator will take over the operations of the Old Cataract Aswan and the Winter Palace Luxor and relaunch them under the Mandarin banner in July 2027.

🌍 AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

It’s been a packed week in the global press, with several stories taking center stage — let’s take a closer look.

Markets remained sensitive to AI developments and the tech sell-off. On Monday, shares of French software developer Dassault Systèmes fell nearly 8% before the company briefly halted share trading. Skepticism over AI spending has led to sharp market value declines in the world’s most valuable technology stocks: Microsoft saw a 17% drop in shares YTD, wiping out more than USD 600 bn in market value, while Amazon fell nearly 14%, erasing about USD 343 bn. Market values for Nvidia, Apple, and Alphabet have also seen drastic declines.

On Wednesday, however, global shares steadied as investors were reassured by early earnings reports from private software companies. Firms like McAfee, Rocket Software, and Perforce Software reported solid annual revenues. The sell-off showed signs of abating with the S&P 500 information technology sector rebounding from previous losses, closing in the green on Tuesday.

In other AI-related news, Meta announced a new agreement with Nvidia to use Nvidia chips in its AI data centers. Shares of both companies jumped during Tuesday’s extended trading. The social media giant was in hot water on Thursday after its CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in court that the company no longer seeks to maximize the time spent by users on its platforms and bars kids under 13 from logging on. The CEO’s claims ran counter to internal emails and documents indicating otherwise.

In the business press, the Netflix-Paramount-Warner Bros tensions continued to make headlines after Warner Bros Discovery reconsidered a renewed hostile USD 108 bn bid from Paramount Skydance, a move from Paramount that was seen as an attempt to derail a potential tie-up with Netflix.

Elsewhere in the global press, the CHF appreciated against the EUR and USD, driven by geopolitical turmoil and the greenback’s recent dip. The Swiss currency has already recorded a 3% rise in 2026. Fund managers are more pessimistic about the USD than at any point in the last 10 years, following its 1.3% drop against a basket of other currencies in 2026. Confidence in US assets is waning, and the currency is still vulnerable to further losses.

AND- The automotive industry reeled from a USD 65 bn hit following a sweeping reversal of US climate policy. The downturn has disproportionately affected the companies that wagered the most on EVs, with global automotive player Stellantis being hit the hardest after suffering a USD 26 bn write-down.

☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND-

It’s going to be a cool, breezy weekend in Cairo, and we’re looking forward to it. We’re in for highs of just 22°C and lows of 11°C today and tomorrow, according to our favorite weather app.

🎤 HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND-

Up for a farm getaway during the holy month? Hazel Farm is hosting a Ramadan on the Farm special on Friday, 27 February and Saturday, 28 February. The evening begins with a sunset farm tour on the Giza grounds, followed by a farm-to-table iftar. The night continues with dessert decorating, a cozy bonfire, and seasonal Ramadan drinks. Spots are limited — you can secure yours through Kidzapp.

Fancy a Qahrawya walking tour this Ramadan? The Cairene tour agency just announced its special “Iftour” calendar for the month, offering five walking tours in the heart of Cairo paired with Ramadan iftars. The tours will run from Saturday, 28 February, to Wednesday, 11 March, and will take place in Zamalek, Al Khalifa, Al Mounira, and other areas across the city. You can book your spot through the link in their Instagram bio.

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