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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

It’s official: Bonyan makes EGX debut on Tuesday

Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to the start of a shorter-than-usual-workweek. It seems we’ve hit the usual summer lull, as the news cycle continues to take a breather.

**A QUICK NOTE- Our apologies. Some readers this morning mistakenly received our EnterpriseAM Egypt Arabic newsletter despite not being subscribed to that edition, due to an internal dispatch mistake. We regret this unscheduled interruption in your inbox and any confusion it may have caused.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

Investors will be able to begin trading shares of real estate investment firm Bonyan on the EGX this Tuesday at the IPO price of EGP 4.96 apiece, according to a bourse bulletin — confirming what we reported last week.

Expanded trading band on debut: The stock will be allowed to move up or down by 40% on its first day of trading, twice the market’s standard limit, with no temporary circuit breaker in place. From the second session onward, Bonyan will trade under normal market conditions.

Bonyan priced its IPO at the lower end of its range, suggesting plenty of upside for buyers given the independent financial advisor said a fair value looks more like EGP 7.52.

The real estate investment firm has raised EGP 1.8 bn by offering a total of 363 mn shares, including 344.8 mn shares in a private placement to institutional investors and 18.1 mn shares in a public offering to retail investors.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

It’s another day with a mixed bag of headlines in the international press, with Syria being the common thread.

A fragile calm has settled over the southern Syrian city of Sweida after a week of intense fighting between Druze groups and Bedouin tribal fighters left more than 1k dead and drew condemnation from the US. A ceasefire between the Syrian government, Druze leaders, and Bedouin tribes appeared to be holding so far, with no new reports of violence despite ongoing communication disruptions. The US condemned the violence, calling on the Syrian government to prevent jihadist fighters from entering the area and halt the bloodshed. (CNN | Reuters | The Guardian)

enterprise

*** It’s Inside Industry day — your weekly briefing of all things industrial in Egypt. Inside Industry focuses each Sunday on what it takes to turn Egypt into a manufacturing and export powerhouse, ranging from initial investment and planning to product distribution, through to land allocation to industrial processes, supply chain management, labor, automation and technology, inputs and exports, regulation and policy.

In today’s issue: We dive into the shifting dynamics of the automotive industry, where a recent influx of new local assembly plants — and, critically, consumer buy-in — means that car prices are cooling off.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- It’s going to be another day where you’ll likely want to stay indoors, as temperatures in Cairo are set to peak at 37°C, before cooling down to 23°C. On the North Coast, expect a high of 29°C and a low of 26°C, according to our favorite weather app.

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FOR YOUR COMMUTE

Authors fight back against AI plagiarism

? Is literature in danger? Author David Baldacci was shocked when his son asked ChatGPT to write a plot in the style of one of his thrillers, and within seconds, the chatbot generated a storyline filled with familiar characters and twists, according to The Washington Post. “It truly felt like someone had backed up a truck to my imagination and stolen everything I’d ever created,” Baldacci said. A wave of lawsuits is testing whether generative AI infringe copyright law when trained on copyrighted books, and what that means for the future of creativity, The Atlantic writes.

Authors are taking their case to Congress: Baldacci is among a group of writers suing OpenAI and Microsoft over claims that the companies used their copyrighted work to train AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot without permission or compensation. He and others appeared before a Senate subcommittee last Wednesday, urging lawmakers to step in — it was the first hearing specific to how AI is affecting authors.

This raises one central question: More than 40 lawsuits from authors, artists, publishers, and other creators are moving through US courts and raising the same core issue of whether AI companies can legally use copyrighted content to train their models. Tech firms argue the practice qualifies as “fair use” under copyright law and is essential to innovation, yet many creators say it’s theft — plain and simple.

A small victory for authors: Authors gained some momentum last week when a judge granted class-action status in a case against Anthropic, which allegedly trained AI models on books pirated from torrent sites. The landscape is far from settled, but the judge estimated that Anthropic may have downloaded as many as 7 mn books without permission, opening the door to USD bns in potential damage, according to Reuters.

While the Anthropic suit moves forward, other rulings — including partial dismissals of claims against Meta — suggest courts aren’t in agreement. The tech industry maintains it’s not duplicating content but transforming it. Judges are split on whether that’s good enough.

The stakes go beyond copyright: Authors and publishers warn that the threat isn’t just economic — it’s existential. Generative AI is already flooding the internet and marketplaces like Amazon with AI-generated books, sometimes under real authors’ names. If courts side with tech firms, it could accelerate the collapse of traditional creative careers.

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ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

A destination wedding gone wrong

?Madea…and a destination wedding — what could go wrong? US actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry is no stranger to hit films. He’s made us cry with Straw, and now he’s wiping away all our tears with his latest film, Madea’s Destination Wedding.

Don’t remember Madea? Here’s everything you need to know about the woman, the myth, and the fictional legend. Based on Perry’s own mother and aunt, Madea (played by Perry himself, who also plays several other characters in the franchise) is a character unlike any you’ve ever encountered; she’s loud, a little crazy, and knows her way around a shotgun — yet at the end of the day, she’s still a loving woman. Over the years, Perry has released one Madea movie after another, and the latest installment sees her traveling to The Bahamas.

The plot: When Brian (Tyler Perry) meets up with his daughter Tiffany (Diamond White) over dinner, he’s shocked to find out that she’s getting married to someone she barely knows. To add salt to the wound, Tiffany’s fiancé, Zavier (Xavier Smalls), looks like big trouble. The couple soon pay a visit to the extended family, announcing that they’ve opted for a destination wedding — which Brian has to pay for. Faced with the embarrassment of looking like he can’t afford it, Brian gives in. What ensues is chaos.

It’s…insane. As the one-big-dysfunctional family begins planning for takeoff, we watch as Madea and her clan begin causing every commotion possible. From securing passports to boarding planes, nothing goes the way it should — and we have Madea to blame (or thank) for that. Things get wilder once the family lands in The Bahamas — especially as Brian grows more and more suspicious of Zavier and his intentions towards his daughter.

The Verdict: Madea’s Destination Wedding is the kind of movie you watch when you’re not in the mood for something serious. On that front, it delivers. Expect non-politically correct humor, characters you’ll want to punch, and moments that will have you turning away in second-hand embarrassment. The movie might prove particularly overwhelming at times, with certain sequences being a little cliché, but it’s a fun watch when you’re just looking for audio-visual company.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can stream Madea’s Destination Wedding on Netflix, and watch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 1:58).

This publication is proudly sponsored by

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OUT AND ABOUT

Hussein Al Jassmi, Disco Misr, Ahmed Saad team up for an unforgettable summer night

MARK YOUR CALENDAR-

? Hussein Al Jassmi, Disco Misr, and Ahmed Saad will be performing back to back at Seashore by Hyde Park on Friday, 8 August. If you just so happen to be enjoying the weather on the North Coast that weekend, we’d suggest heading on over to Ticketsmarché to secure your spot for a concert you likely won’t be forgetting any time soon.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

Feel like adding to your pile of to-be-read books? The 20th edition of Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s book ends tomorrow. This year’s edition includes over 70 regional publishing houses, and will feature scores of cultural events and panel discussions. For more details on the book fair, head to Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s website.

The second edition of contemporary exhibition Art Space kicked off on Saturday, 19 July in New Alamein, and will wrap up on Tuesday, 30 September, as Sahel season comes to a close. Throughout its duration, the exhibition will feature a slew of visual art installations, interactive workshops, and multidisciplinary exhibitions.

Komedy Koshk is back again at CJC 610 on Tuesday, 22 July. Need a laugh (or 610)? KomedyKoshk ’s Ali Khalifa, Mohamed Farghaly, Amr Abbasy, and more comedic talents will be bringing the punchlines — and we’d suggest keeping an open mind. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketsmarché.

Number one is heading up north: Mark your calendars for Friday, 25 July, because Egyptian singer and rapper Mohamed Ramadan will be bringing the beat to the North Coast’s Porto Golf Marina. Ready to join the “Mafia”? You can grab your tickets from Ticketsmarché.

HAPPENING LATER-

Ready to swim your way to glory? North Coast’s Ghazala Bay is hosting an open water sports festival on Saturday, 26 July, complete with open water swimming and a slew of family-friendly water activities. You can secure your spot through Ticketsmarché.

Feel like rocking out? Egyptian rock band Massar Egbari will be taking the stage at Nile University’s El Sawy Culturewheel Theater in Sheikh Zayed on Thursday, 31 July. You can grab your tickets from El Sawy Culturewheel’s website.

A Sahel night with El Hadaba: Join Egyptian megastar Amr Diab for a night of summer hits and timeless classics at U Arenas in Al Alamein on Friday 1 August, as part of the New Alamein Festival. You can grab your tickets through Tazkarti.

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GO WITH THE FLOW

What the markets are doing on 20 July 2025

The EGX30 rose 0.7% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 4.5 bn (9.6% below the 90-day average). Regional investors were the sole net sellers. The index is up 14.6% YTD.

In the green: Orascom Development (+4.5%), Beltone Holding (+4.2%), and Ibnsina Pharma (+3.4%).

In the red: Emaar Misr (-1.1%), Eipico (-0.8%), and Palm Hills Development (-0.7%).

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INSIDE INDUSTRY

Egypt’s local assembly push helps see automotive prices cool down

Automotive prices in Egypt are going down as the expansion of local assembly helps to drive up supply, and consumer sentiment on locally assembly models improves. Some automotive segments have seen prices go down by as much as 20% as market dynamics shifted, industry sources told Enterprise, supported by new assembly lines coming online, government incentives, and reduced reliance on imports.

Growth in the local assembly space — which saw five new factories coming online — means that we now have 23 automotive assembly lines in Egypt, which collectively produce 120k vehicles across 23 car brands annually. The entry of these five markets is the motive force behind the price drops in some car segments, according to Osama Abu El Magd, head of the Egyptian Auto Dealers Association.

Have you noticed how many MG and Jetour cars there are on the road now? Those are all a sign of how the market dynamics have shifted. The abundance of vehicle supply, especially Chinese models, has prompted agents and dealerships to offer aggressive promotions and more competitive pricing, said El Saba Automotive Chairman and member of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce’s auto division Alaa El Sabaa. Expansion in local production has also cut reliance on imports and eased pressure on the USD, which has helped to support FX stability, and in turn keeping prices in check, according to Automotive Manufacturers Association CEO Khaled Saad.

Gov’t incentives are doing their part to prop up local industry: The Automotive Industry Development Program (AIDP) — the latest iteration of which kicked off at the start of this month — is expected to increase production capacity, Saad said. These incentives also lay the foundation for sustainable market growth, especially with new models entering and several companies planning expansions, he noted.

As consumer confidence in local assembly grows, more car buyers are turning toward the models coming out of local factories, which were previously perceived as lagging behind imports in terms of quality, Saad told us. “There’s now growing belief that locally produced cars have reached a good manufacturing standard and are more cost-efficient, driving the recent uptick in local demand,” he added.

By the numbers: Car sales during the first five months of 2025 are up some 95% y-o-y, according to Saad. In May alone, total car sales hit their highest monthly performance since June2022, rising 127.7% y-o-y, according to Automotive Market Information Council (AMIC) data seen by Enterprise. Passenger car sales were up 131.4%, bus sales surged 76% and truck sales rose 133.2%. A total of 14.3k vehicles were sold in May, up from 6.3k in the same month last year. The May performance built on a February comeback that followed a rough January, when sales dropped 22% m-o-m.

Competition heats up as the market rebalances: The under-EGP 1.2 mn price bracket is seeing especially heated competition, which has driven price drops of up to 20% thanks to improved FX availability and smoother customs clearances, Abu El Magd said. Companies are putting forward better offers — on both pricing and maintenance — El Sabaa added, noting that “consumers now have more choices with better quality and lower prices, which is pushing companies to improve not just pricing but also product quality.” Although their margins are coming under pressure, “every company is trying to attract customers with more flexible pricing, which benefits the consumer,” he said.

Higher-end vehicles largely unaffected for now: Cars priced between EGP 2–3 mn are yet to see major markdowns, Abu El Magd said, but he expects price drops for this segment in 2H 2025 or 1H 2026 if economic stability continues and local production expands.

Industry insists this isn’t just about clearing out old inventory: The price cuts and markdowns are not a result of dealerships facing sluggish sales on older models, Abu El Magd insisted, stressing that the key driver is increased local production and strong market competition. The ripple effects have hit the used market, where prices are also falling. While margins have narrowed, volumes are improving as many consumers now find lower-cost models that still meet their specification needs, El Sabaa explained.

Is this going to be the “new normal” of car prices? Probably not: Although the current wave of price cuts — covering over 25 brands — will likely hit a ceiling and stabilize by year-end, strong competition is expected to persist for sub-EGP 1.2 mn cars, El Sabaa said. He noted that some European models are now less likely to see price cuts due to the recent rally in the EUR.

New 2026 models haven’t disrupted the trend: The release of 2026 models hasn’t shaken up pricing. The price gap between 2025 and 2026 models is being bridged with offers on older units, keeping the market balanced and buyers flexible, El Sabe’ said.

But macroeconomic conditions — including interest rates — will have a role to play in how the market shapes up in the months to come: Some 70% of car sales in Egypt are made through bank financing or installment plans, meaning an expected continuation of the Central Bank of Egypt’s monetary easing cycle in 2H 2025 could significantly fuel further growth, Saad explained. “Every rate drop directly improves consumer purchasing power,” he said. Both El Sabaa and Abu El Magd agreed that more rate cuts would help the market grow sustainably and spur more purchasing demand by reducing financing costs. Saad also expects lower interest rates and new market entrants expanding their production to help sustain growing car sales in the back half of the year.


? JULY

7-21 July (Monday - Monday): Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s book fair.

22 July (Tuesday): Komedy Koshk at CJC 610.

23 July (Wednesday): Revolution Day.

24 July (Thursday): Official holiday for Revolution Day.

25 July (Friday): Mohamed Ramadan at Porto Golf Marina.

26 July (Saturday): Open water festival at Ghazala Bay.

26 July (Saturday): Nancy Ajram and Hakim at The Address Beach Resort.

31 July (Thursday): Massar Egbari at El Sawy Culturewheel Theatre, Nile University.

AUGUST

1 August (Friday): The Martinez Brothers at Sol Beach.

1 August (Friday): Amr Diab at U Arenas.

6-30 August (Wednesday - Saturday): Egypt Sculpture Symposium at New Alamein.

7 August (Thursday): Peggy Gou at D-Bay.

8 August (Friday): Hussein Al Jassmi, Disco Misr, and Ahmed Saad at Seashore.

8 August (Friday): &ME at Sol Beach.

8 August (Friday): All Day I Dream at ESCĀ Beach Club.

15 August (Friday): Marwan Pablo and Lege-cy at U Arena.

SEPTEMBER

4 September (Thursday): Al Mawlid Al Nabawi.

OCTOBER

6 October (Monday): Armed forces day.

7 October (Tuesday): Enterprise Egypt Forum 2025.

15 October (Wednesday): Scorpions concert at New Capital.

16-24 October (Thursday-Friday): Gouna Film Festival.

30 October - 22 November (Thursday-Saturday): Forever is Now at the Great Pyramids of Giza.

DECEMBER

19 December (Friday): DJ Tiësto at the Giza Plateau.

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