The future of global trade

Sunday, 15 Jun 2025

The future of global trade

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Today at a glance

The Big Story Today

EGP and EGX see sharp declines on the back of regional escalations.

INSIDE INDUSTRY

How have smart packaging and sustainability become Egypt’s gateway to global markets?

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

What does ongoing regional tension mean for global trade?

ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

Netflix’s Straw tells the story of a struggling, poor, single, black mother.

Sports

Al Ahly opens Club World Cup with a disappointing draw.

OUT AND ABOUT

Party rocking at the Pyramids with Tiësto.

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

EGP and EGX see sharp declines on the back of regional escalations

Good afternoon, all and welcome to the start of another workweek. The newscycle remains dominated by the ongoing escalations between Israel and Iran and their impact on local, regional, and global markets.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

The EGP and EGX see sharp declines on the back of regional escalations: After weeks of strengthening against the greenback, the EGP saw a sharp dip today — the first day of trading since Israel and Iran started trading attacks. The USD crossed the EGP 51 mark for the first time since April during trading, before settling at EGP 50.62. The dip was the result of foreign investors exiting our local debt market in favor of safer havens, three sources in the banking sector told EnterpriseAM.

AS FOR THE EGX- All indices ended today’s trading session in the red with the EGX losing EGP 94 bn of its market value at the close of the session. The benchmark EGX30 was down 7.5% during the first few minutes of trading, before recovering some of its losses to end the day down 4.6%.

All in the red: All EGX30 constituents ended the session in the red. The biggest losers included EFG Holding (12.4%), Orascom Development Egypt (11.1%), and GB Corp (9.4%), while the smallest declines included Alexandria Containers and Cargo Handling (-0.04%), Fawry (-0.9%), and Telecom Egypt (-1.6%).

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The Israel-Iran conflict continues: Iran and Israel continued to exchange attacks, intensifying the ongoing conflict between them and derailing the nuclear talks with the US that were set to take place in Oman today. The strikes have killed nearly 140 people in Iran and ten in Israel.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran was acting in self defense and that it has evidence showing that the attacks were supported by the US. The leaders of Iran and Israel are both threatening more intense attacks if neither stops attacking. “This defence is our response to aggression. If the aggression stops, naturally our responses will also stop,” he said during a meeting with foreign diplomats.

The Trump response: US President Donald Trump warned Iran against attacking the US, saying that the “full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.” He said that the US had “nothing to do” with the Israeli attacks on Tehran and that an agreement could “easily” be reached between the two sides.

Yemen’s Houthis have joined the fight in support of Iran, launching missile attacks on Israeli targets. Israel responded with its own attacks on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah. (Reuters | Financial Times | The Guardian | AP)

*** 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 look at how smart packaging and sustainability have become Egypt’s gateway to global markets.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- The capital will be seeing warm breezy weather tomorrow, with the mercury set to peak at 34°C throughout the day before cooling down to 22°C at night. The North Coast will be experiencing cooler weather, with the temperature expected to reach just 29°C during the day and 20°C at night, according to our favorite weather app.

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foreign exchange WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

What does ongoing regional tension mean for global trade?

Global trade is still flowing through the Strait of Hormuz — but that might not be the case for long. The ongoing — and escalating — conflict between Israel and Iran has led to concerns pertaining to the status of global oil supply coming from the Middle East and passing through the Strait of Hormuz — which connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and sees over 20 mn barrels of oil passing through every day and roughly one fifth global LNG shipments.

No closure for now but ships are avoiding the Red Sea and Persian Gulf: CNBC reports that while Iran is unlikely to close the strait to avoid disrupting its own oil market — and risk backlash from its largest oil customer, China — vessels are steering away from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf altogether.

It’s not just energy supply chains that will be impacted: The waterway also plays a significant role in global container trade, with nearby ports acting as transshipment hubs.

What triggered closure fears? Iranian official Sardar Esmail Kowsari told media outlets that waterway closure is “under consideration, and Iran will make the best decision with determination … Our hands are wide open when it comes to punishing the enemy, and the military response was only part of our overall response.”

Shipping firms are preparing for the worst: British maritime risk management firm Ambrey advised vessels to prepare for rerouting “in the event of escalation.” The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) has also advised ships to implement defense measures and consider rerouting, according to CNBC. Longer transit times that result from alternative routes would prove costly.

What does this mean for Om El Donya? Global supply chain disruptions could negatively impact inflation rate and disrupt the pace of the central bank’s easing cycle, HC Securities’ Nemat Choucri previously told us. Rising oil prices also means an increase in Egypt’s import bill, banking expert Hany Abou El Fotouh said.

READ MORE- We dive deeper into the implications of ongoing regional tensions on Egypt in a piece published earlier today. Check it out here.

Tags:

FOR YOUR COMMUTE global economy

ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

One tough camel

? How many straws does it take to break a camel’s back? In Netflix’s latest film, Straw, starring golden-globe winning actress Taraji P. Henson, it only takes the one to send Janiyah Wiltkinson (Henson) into overdue madness.

How long can a mother endure? The Tyler Perry -directed movie follows Wiltkinson, a single mother struggling to raise her severely ill daughter. Wiltkinson works more than one job, puts up with an abusive supervisor and an apathetic landlady, denies herself food to provide for her daughter, and does her best to keep her daughter safe…until child protective services drag her away from school. Wiltkinson quickly rushes to rectify the situation and prove her competence as a parent, yet a series of unfortunate events lead her to her breaking point, becoming the number one person of interest in the state as she finds herself suddenly holding an entire bank hostage.

All throughout the film, Perry poses a pivotal question: who cares about a poor, single, black mother? In doing so, Perry shines a critical spotlight on the systematic injustices faced by women in Wiltkinson’s position — ones designed to keep her exactly where she is. It’s a slow burn, and it stings hard.

Henson delivers a performance that will have you shedding tear after tear. The Color Purple (2023) and Empire star is no stranger to owning the scene, and in Straw. Henson’s pull is undeniable — from the nuances in her expressions all the way to the subtlest movements. She dextrously embodies a woman with nothing left to lose, who will not let anyone stand in the way of a reunion with her daughter.

Our verdict: Straw is one of those films that have you thinking you’ve cracked the code, only to pull the rug from under your feet in the third act. It’s a heavy watch, yet one that is necessary and thought-provoking. If you’re looking to watch something that will have you on the edge of your seat — and not on your phone doomscrolling — this is it.

WHERE TO WATCH - Straw is available to stream on Netflix, and you can find the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:03).

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On The Tube Tonight worth watching

Sports

Al Ahly opens Club World Cup with disappointing draw

⚽ All eyes on the Club World Cup: Mark your calendars from here on out until Sunday, 13 July as we cover all things Club World Cup — from major events to all matches held throughout the 32-team US-hosted tournament. At the moment, the topic de jour is the opening match, which was held in the early hours of the day and saw Al Ahly face Inter Miami.

We’re seeing double…zeros. Al Ahly failed to score the first three points in the tournament against the star-studded Inter Miami — bolstered by former Barcelona stars Messi, Suárez, and Busquets. The Hard Rock Stadium-hosted game in Miami, Florida, ended with a scoreless draw.

The odds were in Al Ahly’s favor, but Oscar Ustari happened to stand in their way. While Al Ahly dominated the first half of the match and created numerous clear-cut opportunities to score, Inter Milan’s goalkeeper, Ustari, had other plans. Ustari capped off his efforts by saving Trezeguet's penalty kick just before the end of the half, earning his status as the match’s MVP.

Al Ahly and Inter Miami walk away with one point each and 1 USD mn in tow. This puts both teams in the temporary lead of Group A, until the match between Brazil’s Palmeiras and Portugal’s Porto concludes, which is scheduled for 1am tomorrow.

In addition to losing out on two extra points, Al Ahly lost its star, Emam Ashour. Ashour left the match in tears less than 15 minutes following kickoff, after suffering an injury that was later revealed to be a broken clavicle — blocking him from participating in the tournament.

Al Ahly’s next opponent is none other than Palmeiras. The match will take place on Thursday, 19 June at 7pm, and will be followed by Inter Miami and Porto’s faceoff at 10pm.

Matches we’re following tonight:

Bayern Munich faces New Zealand’s Auckland City tonight at 7pm in the opening game of Group C. This group also includes Portugal's SL Benfica and Argentine’s Boca Juniors.
Stakes are high as Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético de Madrid face off in the first game of Group B tonight at 10pm. Group B also includes Brazil’s Botafogo and the US Seattle Sounders.

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Football sports

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OUT AND ABOUT

Party rocking at the Pyramids

MARK YOUR CALENDAR-

? In the mood to party by the Pyramids? On Friday, 19 December, world-famous Dutch DJ and Producer Tiësto is coming back to Egypt for a solo show at the Giza Plateau. Once voted “The Greatest DJ of All Time,” Tiësto will surely make this upcoming show one to remember. Tickets are available on Ticket Egypt.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

When life gives you lemons, you head to CJC 610 and wait for The Comedy Bunch to serve some lemonade. On Tuesday, 17 June, The Comedy Bunch’ s Engy Hashem, Mohamed Gamal El Din, Halawa, Ahmed El Hareedy, and Amgad El Shawshy will be taking the stage with the sole purpose of making you laugh — and given these comedians’ track records, we’d say that you’ll be laughing plenty. You can secure your spot through Ticketsmarché.

Get loud or get out. CJC 610 is bringing back Casino El Fotrikiano, its signature Mahraganat madness experience, on Wednesday, 18 June, and it’s set to be louder than ever. Turning it up with his signature sha’bi sound, Mozmar Abdelsalam will be joined by Egyptian Mahraganat singer Mahmoud Elleithy and DJ Sadam for a night celebrating the best that Egypt’s local genre has to offer. You can secure your spot through CJC 610’s website.

No tickets needed, these concerts are on the house. Viral Egyptian singer and rapper Lella Fadda is throwing two pro-bono concerts this June. On Thursday June 19, Fadda will be lighting up Alexandria’s Antoniades Park before heading back to Cairo for an encore at The Greek Campus in Downtown Cairo on Saturday, 21 June. You can secure your spot through Laylo.

Miami-based Mexican artist and producer Sainte Vie is giving Cairo a taste of Floridian summers. Bringing his signature groove to CJC 610 on Thursday 19 June, the techno dynamo will be joined by local DJs Ziad Mousa, Mohasseb, and Ashmawy. You can get your tickets from Ticketsmarché.

Need a dash of folklore in your life? Reconnect with your Egyptian roots at El Sawy Culturewheel on Friday, 20 June, as the all-Egyptian, all-women band Tablet el Sitt take the stage. On a mission to spread joy and preserve Egyptian folk music, the band will be performing from 8pm to 10:30pm. Tickets are available on El Sawy Culturewheel’s official website.

HAPPENING LATER-

Legendary Egyptian pianist Omar Khairat is back at the Cairo Opera House with two concerts on Sunday, 22 June and Monday 23, June. Tickets can be purchased through Tazk arti.

Ever dreamt of being a DJ? Kamelizer wants to make your beat-dropping dreams come true at District 5’s Townhall by Kamelizer this June. Collaborating with the DJ Academy in Cairo, Kamelizer is hosting a three-week-long DJ Bootcamp kicking off on Monday, 23 June, and taking place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:30pm. Want to master mixing? Be a transition-tron? Know how to work a crowd? The bootcamp will teach you how to do all that and more — and the best part? You’ll get to show off your skills at two live events following the bootcamp. To register for the bootcamp and find out more details, head to Kamelizer Spaces’ Instagram and click the link in their bio.

World-famous ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is bringing his puppets to Egypt this June. Performing live in Cairo for the very first time, the American comedian, actor, and host of the Jeff Dunham show will be playing puppet-master as he orchestrates a comedic showcase under the theme of Artificial Intelligence, stringing along his comical cast of characters at the Drama Hall in the New Capital’s Arts and Culture city on Thursday, 26 June. You can grab your tickets from Ticketsmarché — and don’t worry, you won’t have to pull any strings to get in.

Debuting her first release in 10 years, Lena Chamamyan will be pulling up to Cairo this June. Her latest album, Sohab — written in collaboration with a slew of Egyptian and Arab artists — will be debuting at Theatro Arkan on Thursday, 26 June, shining the spotlight on Middle Eastern folk music. A little birdie tells us that the Syrian-Armenian singer, songwriter, and soprano will be joined by a few special guests, but details remain under wraps. You can grab your tickets from Ticketsmarché.

The ‘90s are calling, and on Friday, 27 June, we’re picking up. Egyptian band Cassette ‘90s will be performing live at Zamalek’s El-Sawy Culturewheel, and you best believe they’ll be doubling down on nostalgia. This motley crew of ‘90s aficionados knows how to keep an audience on their feet, so if a trip a few decades back sounds like a fun time, secure your spot through El-Sawy Culturewheel’s website.

Lose yourself in the last of Beethoven’s symphonies at the Cairo Opera House. On Saturday, 28 June, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 will reverberate throughout the Main Hall as Maestro Ahmed El Saedi guides his orchestra through the most influential of symphonic works. Tickets can be purchased through Tazkarti.

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Events music Out and About worth trying

GO WITH THE FLOW

What the markets are doing on 15 June 2025

The EGX30 plunged 4.6% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 4.1 bn (14.3% below the 90-day average). Foreign investors were the sole net sellers. The index is up 4.3% YTD.

In the red: EFG Holding (-12.4%), Orascom Development Egypt (-11.1%), and GB Corp (-9.4%).

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EGX Go with the Flow

Our weekly look at the issues, trends, and policies that are shaping Egypt's manufacturing industries.

Published every Sunday in EnterprisePM.

Read Inside Industry

INSIDE INDUSTRY

How have smart packaging and sustainability become Egypt’s gateway to global markets?

Smart packaging is putting Egypt on the map: Packaging has become a core pillar in Egypt’s national industry and a key driver of product appeal in international markets. State-led initiatives and trade expos are positioning Egypt as a regional hub for modern, eco-friendly packaging. Events like Fi Africa and ProPak MENA showcase export requirements and cutting-edge technologies, reinforcing Egypt’s potential to become a regional hub for sustainable packaging industries and compete globally.

Packaging is now essential in supporting local industry and enhancing the competitiveness of Egyptian products globally, according to Chairman of the Printing and Packaging Export Council and Head of the Chamber of Printing and Packaging Industries Nadim Elias. Elias noted the significant role of packaging in product branding, marketing, and ensuring international market acceptance.

By the numbers: Packaging makes up around 7-10% of a product’s total cost, a percentage that directly impacts export opportunities. The printing and packaging sector contributed over USD 1 bn in direct exports in 2024, in addition to supporting various other industries indirectly, particularly food, pharma, and cosmetics, Elias said.

Packaging is especially important for food exports: Packaging has become a key factor in boosting the competitiveness of Egyptian food exports, which have already surpassed USD 10 bn annually, Chairman of the Food Industries Chamber Ashraf El Gazayerli said. He noted that advanced packaging technologies are no longer a luxury, but a necessity for international market access, especially amid growing global demand for clean label products and sustainable packaging.

Egypt has an edge: Egypt has recently advanced its local paper industry — especially duplex board and fluting paper — in a move that has improved local supply chains, contributed to cutting costs, and boosting the export capacity of packaging materials like corrugated cardboard and printed materials, according to Elias. Trade agreements with Europe and Arab countries offer a path to transform Egypt into a packaging and printing hub, while also enabling knowledge exchange and tech transfer to meet global standards, he said.

Packaging plays a central role in ensuring product safety and global market acceptance. Maintaining sustainable food supply chains is essential for national food security and for strengthening Egypt’s export capabilities, according to Industrial Modernization Center’s Elizabeth Kalishian.

China leads in raw materials: China remains a major supplier of raw materials, chemical components, and manufacturing machinery for the local packaging industry, Director of the ProPak MENA and Fi Africa exhibitions Mohamed Abdelhamid said. Chinese firms made up more than 20% of participants at this year’s exhibitions.

Aseptic packaging is changing the dairy game: Advanced packaging technologies are essential for ensuring the quality and safety of dairy products, especially milk. Aseptic packaging systems provide a solution for extending shelf life without refrigeration by packaging products in a sterile environment. According to Tetra Pak’s dairy processing guide, these systems preserve the nutritional content like proteins and vitamins by precisely controlling environmental factors such as temperature and light.

Sustainability is no longer optional: Global shifts in sustainability, food security, and carbon reduction have introduced new standards for manufacturers, pushing many companies to seek advanced technological solutions to meet these requirements, Abdelhamid told EnterpriseAM. He added that this year’s exhibitions feature workshops and scientific content to help attendees understand export regulations, especially for European markets, and connect with solution providers.

Packaging goes green: Incorporating sustainability into packaging through recyclable materials and reduced resource and energy consumption helps lower the carbon footprint of the final product. Packaging also needs to be visually appealing, easy to use, and capable of influencing consumer purchasing decisions.

New standards are in place: The Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS) has begun integrating sustainability requirements into its national standards, including recyclability, raw material environmental impact, and plastic reduction, in line with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, EOS‘s Hadeer Mostafa said. The authority also recently established an Environmental Performance Unit tasked with measuring emissions from factories and products and issuing internationally recognized environmental assessments.

Your top industrial development stories for the week:

Local fertilizer companies have suspended operations following the dip in Israeli natural gas imports.
Egypt is among seven countries to benefit from a USD 1 bn package by the Climate Investment Funds program to reduce industrial emissions.

Tags:

Food Export Council INSIDE INDUSTRY sustainability

ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

17 June (Tuesday): The Comedy Bunch at CJC 610.

18 June (Wednesday): Casino El Fotrikiano at CJC 610.

19 June (Thursday): Sainte Vie at CJC 610.

19 June (Thursday): Lella Fadda at Alexandria’s Antoniades Park.

20 June (Friday): Tablet el Sitt at El-Sawy Culturewheel.

21 June (Saturday): Lella Fadda at The Greek Campus.

22-23 June (Sunday - Monday): Omar Khairat at The Cairo Opera House.

23 June - 9 July (Monday - Wednesday): DJ Bootcamp at Townhall by Kamelizer.

26 June (Thursday): Jeff Dunham at the New Capital’s Drama Hall.

26 June (Thursday): Lena Chamamyan at Theatro Arkan.

27 June (Friday): Medhat Saleh at Cairo Opera House.

27 June (Friday): Cassette ‘90s at El-Sawy Culturewheel.

28 June (Saturday): Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at The Cairo Opera House.

28 June (Saturday): Cairokee Empire concert at Cairo International Stadium.

JULY

4 July (Friday): Amr Diab, Monolinkand WhoMadeWho at Sol Beach Marassi.

19 July - 30 September (Saturday - Tuesday): Art Space at New Alamein.

AUGUST

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

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

OCTOBER

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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