Good afternoon folks, and a happy Wednesday to all of you. We have a busy issue for you today, with all the latest on potential mega-investments in Egyptian WtE plants, a budding Apple-Android rapprochement, and over-the-top Ramadan desserts.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

Austria is mulling up to EUR 1 bn in WtE investments: A consortium of Austrian companies is planning on developing four waste-to-energy (WtE) plants in Egypt with an investment ticket of EUR 150-250 mn each, renewable energy expert Al Gohary Al Shebiny told Al Borsa on the sidelines of the Arab Forum for Pioneers in Economics, Investment, and International Cooperation. The companies have initial plans for plants in Cairo, Giza, Gharbia, and Dakahlia, with potential for later expansions.

Things are already in motion: The Austrian investors have already conducted feasibility studies for the projects, which they will submit to the Egyptian government in order to obtain land, start construction, and set up production lines, Al Shebiny said. They are also hoping to ink a 20-25 year land usufruct agreement for the projects to allow time to recover from the high investment costs.

Remember: The Environment and Finance Ministries have said that they want to boost WtEinvestments by amending laws regulating public contracts and increasing the feed-in tariff rate. Land for WtE projects has already been allocated across eight governorates for completion over the next three or four years.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The EU announced retaliatory tariffs against the US hours after US President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium went into effect. The tariffs will impact some EUR 26 bn worth of goods and are set to come into effect in April, offering some time for the economic bloc to negotiate terms with the Trump administration. (FT | WSJ | Reuters)

Canada could be next to follow suit, with officials telling Reuters that the country plans toimpose CAD 29.8 bn (USD 20.7 bn) in retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump’s new tariffs on steel and aluminum.

A Russia-Ukraine ceasefire could still be a ways off: Sources close to Russian President Vladimir Putin tell Reuters that Trump’s Russia-Ukraine ceasefire proposal — which has reportedly been greenlit by Kyiv — is unlikely to pass muster with Moscow, with a senior Russian source telling the newswire that Putin will want clear guarantees given his “strong position” in the war.

AND IN BUSINESS NEWS- Swedish battery startup Northvolt has filed for bankruptcy in Sweden after months of negotiations with backers aimed at salvaging a company once seen as Europe’s best bet for competing with China on EV battery manufacturing. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US in November. (FT | Reuters)

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

• Egypt’s fourth IMF loan review showed that more needs to be done on the structural reform agenda, with the fund noting that “Progress with the implementation of the structural reform agenda was mixed, with notable delays on critical reforms related to divestment and leveling the playing field.”
• Gov’t prepares new incentive package for listing on the EGX: The Madbouly government is working on a package of incentives for listing on the stock exchange in an effort to stimulate government offerings and encourage private listings on the EGX.
• The government is exploring the possibility of leasing a German LNG regasification vessel, with a delegation of Egyptian experts expected to visit Germany by the end of this month to finalize the terms of the potential agreement.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Temperatures in the capital are cooling down a notch, but we’re still expecting warm highs of 26°C and a chillier low of 15°C, according to our favorite weather app.