Good afternoon, friends, and happy hump day. It’s another relatively slow afternoon in the press, and we’ve got a brisk issue for you. Today, we take a look at why more professionals are choosing to freelance and review a suhoor spot with an unconventional menu.

So, when do we eat? Maghrib prayers are at 5:50pm in the capital, and you’ll have until 4:59am tomorrow to hydrate and caffeinate ahead of fajr.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

📍 The Finance Ministry is set to issue its retail-focused Citizen Bond on a monthly basis with variable, market-linked yields, the Finance Minister’s Advisor for Debt May Adel told EnterpriseAM. The move builds on a successful debut that mopped up over EGP 350 mn in just two days, a government source told us.

Tax exemption confirmed: Adel cleared up recent market chatter regarding taxation, confirming that the retail bond is “entirely tax-exempt,” meaning the yield will be paid out to citizens without any deductions. The objective, Adel said, is to “spread the culture of investment among small savers and attract diverse segments across the governorates.”

^^ Read the full story and more details in tomorrow’s edition of EnterpriseAM.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 Oil prices jumped this morning as geopolitical tensions persist, with the US-Iran talks set to resume this week in Geneva. WTI traded near USD 67 / bbl, US crude futures rose to USD 67.3 / bbl, and Brent rallied to USD 72.5 / bbl.

^^Read more on Bloomberg, CNBC, and the Guardian.

In the business press, another tech sell-off is making headlines: Following the launch of Anthropic’s Claude Code — a tool that can scan code for vulnerabilities and suggest solutions — IBM’s shares fell 13.2% on Monday, down more than 24% YTD. Shares of other cybersecurity companies — Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, and Palo Alto Networks — also plunged. The sell-off extended to BTC, which dropped 5% to below USD 63k.

^^Read more on CNBC here and here.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

  • Egypt’s draft budget for FY 2026-27 is shaping up as a statement of recovery. The plan will focus on narrowing the deficit, boosting revenues, and containing the pace of spending growth;
  • The state is earmarking EGP 8 bn to develop Damietta Port ahead of opening up the dock to international management tenders and a future public offering;
  • Egypt and the GCC are in a region “seeing strengthening macroeconomic and credit fundamentals.” After a sluggish period in 2024-2025, the region is entering 2026 with a momentum driven by robust non-oil GDP and structural policy reforms.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- It’s another cool day in the capital, with the mercury set to peak at just 21°C, with a low of 12°C, according to our favorite weather app.

Tags: