Egypt prepares to offer a 40% stake in Banque du Caire as early as April
EGP holds at 50 | Privatization still on the agenda despite war | Israeli gas trickles back | Polaris heads to the New Capital
Sunday, 8 March 2026
Staying on target
Good morning, friends. The Madbouly government is pressing ahead with plans to sell a stake in Banque du Caire, unperturbed by the US-Israeli war on Iran. In today's big story, we're peeling back the layers of the upcoming sale and what to watch out for.

Today at a Glance
Podcasts
Morning Drive is your daily download of the essential headlines shaping Egypt. Hosted by ‘Synthetic Salma’ — an AI-powered version of Executive Editor Salma El-Saeed.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Investment Watch
M&A Watch
Explore EnterpriseAM for your industry
A close look at key activities driving headlines across industries
Privatization Watch
Gabal El Zeit deal nears finish line with USD 416 mn valuation
Final signatures are expected later this month
Egypt moves iconic state hotels under Sovereign Fund of Egypt
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…
Newsmakers
Sokna CEO Ahmed Gaballah on why hospitals and others are now seeking out the startup rather than the other way around
Over seven years, we estimate we’ve helped around 1 mn people inside and outside Egypt
My Morning Routine
Chambers and Partners is out with its 2026 list of Egypt’s top arbitration litigators
Youssef + Partners’ Karim Youssef was awarded the top title of Star Individual
Spotlight
Regulation
Legislation Watch
Parliament moves to shield healthcare and research from nuclear fee hikes
Amendments create a clearer distinction between commercial nuclear ventures and…
Regulation Watch
El Sisi shuffles central bank board, appointing three new subject-matter experts
Sherif Kamel, Ali Faramawy retain seats for another year
Cabinet Watch
Garghoub is now a Special Economic Zone — here is what that means for investors
Plus: A major overhaul at GOEIC to slash customs times
Ittihadiya
El Sisi, Trump meet up on the sidelines of Davos
Egypt accepted an invitation from the US to join the…
Startup Watch
Bahrain’s Beban eyes Egypt launch with equity crowdfunding model
Mohamed Aboulnaga’s Foras AI raises stake as Beban seeks FRA approval
Meet our founders of the week: Knot Technologies’ Ahmed Abdalla and Hussein ElBendak
Knot is building its AI-native ticketing and access control infrastructure out of Egypt for…
Meet Tribe founder Roba El Gindy
“Tribe is the village that it takes to raise a child”
Industries
Banking
Egypt prepares to offer a 40% stake in Banque du Caire as early as April
Amid global market uncertainty from the war on Iran, the…
Finance
“Sell America, buy Asia” trade interrupted as oil and war risk reset the outlook
Asian stocks are down 6% this week, as oil and…
Capital Markets
Risk-off mode triggers a strategic pivot for EGX portfolio managers
Al Ahly Pharos is now advising clients to “hold incremental…
Fintech
CBE greenlights full rollout of soft POS, turning smartphones into payment terminals
Following a two-year pilot phase that had restricted contactless payment…
Climate
Oriental Weavers counts carbon to clear new green trade hurdles
Plus: Valmore Holding sees revenues rise 24% y-o-y in 2025
Automotive
Auto sales were up 69.9% in 2025, but imports outpaced locally assembled vehicles at an increased rate
Sales of vehicles imported whole rose 12.1 percentage points faster…
Commodities
Egypt opens sugar export taps for first time in three years to drain 1 mn ton glut
The current abundance “negates any feasibility of continuing the export…
Tech
Apple drops new budget-friendly tech line-up that might just overtake the market
Everyone’s playing checkers, Apple is playing chess
Energy
A nasty mix of factors is putting pressure on the price of energy — and that’s bad for Egypt’s budget
Gulf producers only have 25 days before they run out…
Infrastructure
Egypt inks USD 296.5 mn locomotive overhaul deal with Canada’s APD
The 12-year contract covers 55 locomotives currently in service and…
Manufacturing
The second phase of industrial financing program is here with bigger caps + new KPIs
The second phase of the program will see borrowing limits…
Mining
Crowded trades reverse as metals plunge and USD gains
The gold and silver rout raised concerns over momentum-driven markets
Sunday, 8 March 2026
Good afternoon, friends.
We hope you had a restful weekend, as it looks like we’re in for another packed week in the press. In today’s issue, we take a look at Apple’s new budget-friendly line-up, explore how rising electricity prices are making smart appliances popular, and take a look at a promising Ramadan comedy.

Today at a Glance

Friday, 6 March 2026
Good morning, friends, and congratulations on making it to the weekend
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’ve listed the ways you can celebrate (and avoid the last-minute panic) in this week’s Enterprise Guide.

