“The electricity will not be cut off again,” Madbouly tells presser announcing end of power outages

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What We're Tracking Today

Is the government getting ready to sell another 10% stake in Telecom Egypt?

Good morning, folks. You may be on your way to work or sitting at your desk wishing it was still the weekend. So if you need a little pick me up, you’ll be glad to hear that power outages will not be returning. We’ve got this and more to kick off the week in the issue, below.

BUT FIRST- We’re now only two days away from this year’s EnterpriseAM Finance Forum, taking place on Tuesday, 24 September.

Taking to thes stage at EnterpriseAM Finance Forum this year is Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib, who’s joining us to outline a vision for where we’re going as a community and as an economy. The keynote interview will get underway at 9am sharp, and you won’t want to miss our exclusive networking breakfast from 8am.

Among the topics on the agenda, which you can view here:

Welcome to the hot seat — top industry CEOs set the tone by addressing the biggest (and toughest) questions of the day.
Looking from the outside in — what foreign investors and strategics think about Egypt right now.
The only asset class in town — It’s real estate or nothing. We’ll get into the ins and outs of the industry, how it’s financing itself, which areas (and price points) are next, and more.
Gazing into that crystal ball — The outlook for dealflow in 2025, from M&A and IPOs to securitization, FX and more.
A once in a generation opportunity? — A deep dive into the promise and pitfalls of the emerging energy economy.
Do we really love banking SMEs? — With NBFIs and fintech players staking their claims, banks are starting to take the SME market seriously.
The NBFI panel — The resilience of the Egyptian consumer is the business story of the decade. How are banks and NBFS players building sustainable businesses? What are the opportunities — and credit worries — in the B2B space?

** IMPORTANT NOTE — If you’ve already received your invitation on email, you *must* click through to confirm you’re attending.

PSA-

WEATHER- It’s finally starting to feel like the summer weather is coming to an end in Cairo today, with a high of 32°C and a low of 23°C, according to our favorite weather app.

It’s a few degrees cooler over in Alexandria, with a high of 29°C and a low of 22°C.

** DID YOU KNOW that we now cover Saudi Arabia and the UAE?

** Were you forwarded this email? Tap or click here to get your own copy delivered every weekday before 7am Cairo time — without charge.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Is the state’s privatization program about to pick up a gear? The government is looking to sell an additional 10% of its stake in Telecom Egypt before the end of this year, a government source told Enterprise.

Remember: The 70% state-owned telecommunications giant was added in 2023 to the state’s list of 35 companies that the government is planning offload stakes for.

AND- The Madbouly government has resumed negotiations for the sale of the state’s remaining 20% stake in Alexbank to Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo Group, which currently holds the remaining 80% of the lender, the source added. If negotiations fall through once again, then the government will sell its stake to another strategic investor, the source said. Negotiations over the sale of the government’s remaining stake in the bank were brought to a halt over disagreements on its valuation.

PLUS- Brace for privatization shakeup: The state is revising its list of assets earmarked for privatization and has plans to bring in USD 1.5-2 bn from the program during the current fiscal year, another government source told us.

#2- A consortium of Egyptian, Saudi, and Emirati companies are planning to announce a “major” USD 800 mn industrial sector merger next month, Zilla Capital Managing Partner Moustafa El Shenety — whose investment bank will help orchestrate the merger — told Asharq Business.

#3- Emaar chief Mohamed Alabbar is planning to invest USD 2 bn by the end of 2025, he told CNBC Arabia. Alabbar added that he was interested in projects along the Red Sea and that he would also be open to a project in Ras El Hekma if land is offered up for a project.

#4- Could we see our third fuel price hike of the year? The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) has started its review of fuel prices and is expected to submit its findings to the fuel pricing committee by the end of this week, ahead of its meeting next month, government sources told Al Arabiya. The committee is scheduled to meet in October to review fuel prices for 4Q 2024 and the most likely scenario points to the committee leaving prices unchanged on the back of a dip in global crude oil prices.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

Remember: The government has hiked fuel prices twice this year — hiking petrol prices by 8-10% and diesel prices by 21.1% in March then again in July, when it hiked prices by up to 15%.

DATA POINT-

The government expects pharma exports to reach USD 1.5 bn during the current fiscal year, up from 1 bn the previous fiscal year, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said during a televised address yesterday (watch, run time : 12:12). The number is expected to reach USD 2 bn within two years and USD 3 bn before 2030.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The news is sadly much the same as when we last gave a round-up of the international press before the weekend, with Israel continuing to pound Lebanon and Gaza and the depressingly familiar reports of children and civilians continuing to find themselves on the receiving end of attacks.

An Israeli strike on a residential building in a Beirut suburb killed at least 37 yesterday — including three children and seven women — in an attack purportedly directed at a meeting of some of Hezbollah’s top military leadership. Senior Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil was killed in the attack, along with 15 other Hezbollah members, according to the Israeli military, with Hezbollah confirming the deaths of the nine members identified by Israel. Aqil is the most high-profile member of Hezbollah’s inner circle to be killed by Israel since Fuad Shukr was killed in July.

While attention has turned towards Lebanon, Israel has kept its bloody assault on Gaza, with an airstrike yesterday on a school housing displaced families killing 22 people — 13 of which were children and six were women.

OVER IN BUSINESS NEWS-.Qualcomm has reportedly approached Intel about a potentialtakeover bid in what would likely be the biggest tech acquisition in history considering Intel’s USD 93 bn market cap at the end of trading on Friday. The ailing chip-maker — which lost nearly USD 30 bn in market value in August after a disastrous earnings report saw CEO Pat Gelsinger announce a 15k job cut and the scrapping of dividends — saw its stock price jump 8% after the story broke on Friday.

ALSO- As one tech company struggles to survive amid the AI race’s choppy waters, another doubles down, with Microsoft inking a 20-year power supply agreement with Constellation Energy to reopen the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania in a bid to fulfill the rising energy demand of the company’s AI infrastructure while keeping emissions to a minimum.

PLUS- OpenAI’s latest funding round is set to raise at least USD 6 bn, bringing the company’s total valuation to USD 150 bn. But questions remain about whether the company will grow enough to provide the return on investment its new backers are hoping for. “How would you ever get to a venture-style return on an investment of this sort?” the chief investment officer of a US foundation asked the FT. “I’m not sure what the maths is there, or if there is any maths.”

For the first time in Egypt, Somabay is thrilled to host the legendary Amy Winehouse Band live in concert. Prepare for an unforgettable evening filled with soul, jazz and iconic hits as the band performs live at Somabay’s breathtaking The Marina in The Theater Somabay on 5 October. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Red Sea, this exclusive event promises a magical night of music and entertainment in a unique setting. #TheAmyWineHouseBand #OneParadiseAllSeasons #SomabayRedSea

No more power cuts, more investments, and more from Madbouly’s latest presser

Madbouly talks power cuts, gas production, and FDI in weekly presser: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly’s weekly presser brought us significant news regarding Egypt’s long-running energy crisis and confirmed state plans to develop Ras Banas, according to cabinet statements here and here.

#1- No more load shedding: “The electricity will not be cut off again... and there will be no more load shedding,” Madbouly said, adding that the government is working to secure the necessary energy shipments to keep the lights on 24/7. We had been expecting power cuts to return last week, after Madbouly indicated in July that they would be back after an eight-week hiatus.

#2- Gas production to return to normal levels next summer: Our natural gas output will return to normal levels before June 2025, Madbouly said, adding that the dip in production was due to the government’s inability to pay foreign companies their dues. Oil players have been ramping up their activity in Egypt after the government started clearing its arrears to foreign oil and gas companies operating in the country and the recently-introduced incentive package for oil and gas players helped sweeten the pot even further.

Remember: The government bought 20 cargoes of LNG for some USD 907 mn to cover domestic needs between October and December. The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation awarded the tender under a six-month deferred payment plan.

#3- More details on the upcoming Saudi investments: The Saudi government’s planned investment of USD 5 bn in Egypt is separate from previous deposits at the Central Bank of Egypt, Madbouly said. “The USD 5 bn investments will be in projects that will be decided mutually later in important economic sectors,” Madbouly said, pointing to the tourism, industry, and renewable energy sectors.

Remember: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced last week that he has directed Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to invest USD 5 bn in Egypt as part of the “first phase” of a larger program of investment. No timeline of when we can expect to see the funds was disclosed.

And that’s not all: Saudi private-sector companies and the PIF have expressed interest in doubling their investments over “the coming period,” Madbouly said, putting the figure somewhere between USD 10-15 bn. The investments will go towards renewable projects and seawater desalination plants.

Market reax: Madbouly’s statements pushed our sovereign USD bonds to two-year highs, meanwhile bills went as high as 99.52 cents, according to Reuters.

It’s all about FDI: Madbouly pointed to a number of meetings that took place between Egyptian representatives and their foreign counterparts during recent weeks, including President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s recent meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Cairo, as well as the Egypt-Kuwait Joint Committee and Madbouly’s own visit to Riyadh alongside Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk and Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib. Madbouly emphasized that these meetings come against the backdrop of state efforts to “increase direct investment rates and attract more foreign investments.”

#4- It’s not just Ras Banas that’ll get the Ras El Hekma treatment: Madbouly confirmed Housing Minister Sherif El Sherbiny’s statement last week that the government is working on an investment plan to offer the Red Sea’s Ras Banas to private sector players in a transaction similar to ADQ’s Ras El Hekma USD 35 bn agreement, adding that the area is one of four to five large areas along the Red Sea that the government has earmarked for Ras El Hekma-esque investments — all in an effort to boost foreign direct investment, he said.

We may already know one of those areas: The Madbouly government set up a ministerial committee earlier this year to select a consultant to manage, evaluate, and market Sharm El Sheikh’s Ras Gamila — a plot that is “far smaller” than Ras El Hekma, but one that will still bring in USD bns nonetheless. Saudi Arabia’s Ajlan & Bros Holding in April reportedly put in an offer to secure a land plot at Ras Gamila for the establishment of ten hotels with 3k keys in the first phase of a bigger development plan.

The story also got ink in the international press: Reuters | Bloomberg.

Egypt is looking to tap USD 3 bn worth of external debt by June, Kouchouk reportedly tells foreign investors

Egypt signals it's ready to issue Eurobonds — and other issuances — for the first time since 2021: Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk told foreign investors in London last week that Egypt was set to issue USD 3 bn in Eurobonds and other debt instruments in the current fiscal year coming to a close at the end of June, Bloomberg reports, citing sources it says are familiar with the matter. Kouchouk did not reportedly provide a breakdown of how the total USD 3 bn would be issued.

Eurobond issuances are in the pipeline — but not until at least February: The government is not planning to issue international bonds on global stock exchanges before February, a government source told Enterprise, commenting on the recent Bloomberg story.

Remember: The government last issued Eurobonds in late 2021, selling USD 6.75 bn in bonds across two issuances in February and September. Since then, high global interest rates and domestic currency market instability have discouraged the issuance of USD-denominated debt on international markets. However, the US Federal Reserve’s decision to cut rates a full half a percentage point last week — a sign of the beginning of the end of globally high interest rates — may augur a revival of capital flows to emerging markets.

THE GOVERNMENT’S PLAN-

Three possible paths of re-entry to international debt markets: The source clarified that the government is considering re-entering international markets in three possible ways. First, it may issue USD-denominated bonds of up to USD 1 bn in an initial phase, then issue more depending on demand and the interest rates offered. Second, the government may issue sukuk, given growing demand for the instruments. Third, it may issue bonds supported by guarantees from international financial institutions like the IMF and the BRICS’ New Development Bank to reduce interest rates.

ING THE WATERS-

Discussions in London were preliminary: The source clarified that Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk’s visit to London was a door-knocking mission aimed at understanding international market perceptions of the Egyptian economy, the source said, in part by presenting different alternatives related to financing and investment in order to solicit feedback and discussion.

The Fed’s rate cut played a role in discussions: The source noted that the Fed’s decision to lower interest rates by half a percentage point last week allowed the Egyptian delegation to present the prospect of issuing new foreign currency-denominated bonds on international markets, as part of a broader plan to direct investments toward the Egyptian economy and support foreign investments in both local and foreign debt instruments.

DIVERSIFYING DEBT INSTRUMENTS-

The gov’t is aiming to diversify instruments to bring debt costs down: The key to reducing the cost of public debt is diversifying debt instruments and lowering interest rates by introducing innovative debt tools that attract more investors to the local market, the source told Enterprise. Egypt plans to restructure its local debt offerings by introducing new instruments before the beginning of 2025, the source said.

We’ve heard about these diversifying debt instruments from Kouchouk before: At his first presser as finance minister in August, Kouchouk noted that the ministry would be looking to expand its debt instruments like treasury bonds, green bonds, and sukuk — as well as taking out soft loans from our multilateral partners.

Gov’t continues to crack down on strategic commodities hoarding

It was another eventful Thursday at the cabinet, with the country’s ministers approving a number of decisions.

#1- Strategic commodities get extended protection: Rice, sugar, blended oil, fava beans, white cheese, milk, and pasta will continue to be designated as strategic commodities for another six months after the cabinet approved the decision. This would prohibit the hoarding or withholding of these commodities to ensure they remain available in the market and at a stable price.

Remember: The government deemed these goods as strategic commodities for a six-month period in January.

#2- Italian funds incoming: The ministers approved a EUR 3 mn Italian grant to provide technical support for leather, furniture, and marble industrial zones in Egypt to optimize their production capacities. The funds will be funneled into the Robbiki Leather City in Badr City, Damietta Furniture City, and Shaq El Tebaan — the largest marble and granite industrial cluster in the country.

#3- Germany to back Egypt’s MSMEs: Cabinet greenlit a draft presidential decree regarding a 2021 financing agreement with the German government that grants us funds to support MSMEs and allow them to create more jobs. The financing also aims to support vocational education in Egypt, helping us set up 25 vocational and technical training centers.

Egypt set to receive USD 129 mn from USAID

We’re in line for USD 129 mn from the US: Egypt will receive USD 129 mn from the US government as part of its “commitment to advancing joint US-Egypt priorities,” according to a readout from the US embassy in Cairo of Wednesday’s strategic dialogues between the two sides.

Where will the funds go? The funds, to be facilitated through USAID, aims to support “reforms toward an economy driven by the private sector, advance public education, improve public health services, and strengthen responsive government institutions and transparency.”

Education at the forefront: While the readout doesn’t break down how the funds will be distributed, it places a particular emphasis on education. The dialogue highlighted initiatives to upgrade 80 local technical education schools and equip nine STEM schools with equipment for their fabrication and science laboratories. The American side will also expand its US-funded career centers to another 19 Egyptian universities.

ICYMI: Egypt inked USAID grants totalling USD 130 mn back in June, which included a USD 35 mn grant for the US-Egypt Higher Education Initiative.

That’s not all: USAID, alongside the Planning and International Cooperation Ministry, will “continue to advance joint US-Egypt priorities such as university scholarships, teacher training to improve the quality of basic education, expanding STEM education, and conducting joint research in water, clean energy, and climate change.”

And more to come: Three US universities — Il linois Institute of Technolo gy, University of Minnesota, and Drake University — will look into setting up shop at home through agreements inked with local partners.

Remember: The government and private sector have been increasingly partnering up with foreign universities in recent years in a bid to improve the quality of the country’s higher education sector, meet international standards, and turn the country into a hub for international education.

Aside from education, some of the funds will be channeled towards promotion of trade and boosting partnerships to ensure the tourism industry remains a sustainable driver of Egyptian growth. The two sides will also continue to work on heritage preservation of key sites to support local development.

A focus on family development: USAID will also continue its efforts to improve family health outcomes and investing in joint efforts with the government to tackle violence against women and girls.

ALSO- EBRD mulls EUR 25 mn guarantee for QNB to boost MSME lending: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is looking into providing an unfunded guarantee of up to EUR 25 mn to Qatar National Bank Egypt, it said earlier last week. The guarantee would cover up to 50% of the credit risk on new micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise loans originated by QNB Egypt.

A first for the EBRD: This would be the EBRD’s first project for portfolio risk sharing in Egypt — an initiative that aims to boost MSME financing by improving banks’ risk-taking capacity.

The key takeaways from British Egyptian Business Association’s mission to the UK

BEBA’s business mission to the UK bears fruit: The British Egyptian Business Association’s (BEBA) three-day Invest in Egypt: Your Gateway to Growth business mission to the UK saw a number of our cabinet members and higher ups discuss a wide array of potential investments with UK-based firms and other entities, as part of a larger push towards boosting foreign direct investment, according to statements here, here, and here.

A star-studded line up: The mission included Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk, Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib, SCZone head Walid Gamal El Din, and Financial Regulatory Authority boss Mohamed Farid. Some important figures from HSBC also joined the mission, including HSC Egypt CEO Todd Willcox.

Firms are already interested: Air cargo service provider Wynne Aviation is looking into making the Suez Canal its business hub in Egypt and Africa and London-based Africa-focused energy company Globeleq unveiled its plans to increase its investments in renewables in the local market. Meanwhile, pharma giant GSK expressed interest in increasing its investments in Egypt’s pharma sector by boosting its local R&D capabilities.

That’s not all: Egyptian officials also met with representatives from fruit producer Blue Skies, railway signaling part manufacturer Park Signaling, who expressed interest in investing in our local market.

Front and center: The government is paying great attention to a number of sectors that include energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and information and communication technology, El Khatib said.

The road to boosting investments: The government is working to enhance competitiveness, simplify procedures, and increase PPPs in an effort to attract more FDI, El Khatib added.

A message of reassurance from our FinMin: Kouchouk indicated that Egypt’s current economic situation is “reassuring,” citing financial performance indicators for the fiscal year 2023-2024 where Egypt achieved a primary surplus of 6.1% and the budget deficit fell to 3.6% of GDP. Egypt is currently aiming to maintain annual primary surpluses that would bring our debt-to-GDP ratio below 85% by the end of the next fiscal year, he added.

El Etreby and Okasha swap positions in National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr board shakeups + A new SEMED director at the EBRD

Board shakeup at NBE and Banque Misr: The National Bank of Egypt (NBE) and Banque Misr are welcoming new boards following directives from Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly published in the Official Gazette. The new boards were appointed for three-year terms.

At the top: Banque Misr CEO Mohamed El Etreby (bio) is becoming the CEO of the National Bank of Egypt, while current NBE president Hisham Okasha is taking El Etreby’s place at Banque Misr, according to the decision. The news confirms what banking sources previously told Enterprise about El Etreby and Okasha swapping positions.

At NBE: Former Banque Misr chairman Mohamed Barakat has been appointed non-executive chairman of NBE and former EBRD Vice President and CFO Soha El Turky will join the NBE as vice president (LinkedIn).

At Banque Misr: Essam El Din El Wakeel was tapped as Banque Misr’s non-executive chairman and former tourism minister and CIB CEO for retail banking Ahmed Issa will join the bank as executive board member and deputy CEO.

EBRD APPOINTS NEW SEMED HEAD-

EBRD taps new SEMED director: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Mark Davis (LinkedIn) as its managing director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region, succeeding Heike Harmgart, who has been appointed EBRD managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa. Davis has been with the EBRD since 2013, first joining as senior advisor to the VP of banking before moving up the ranks to regional director for Romania and Bulgaria and then regional director for central Europe. He starts his term on 1 October.

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon hold the attention of the talk show circuit

Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon were the focus of the talk shows over the weekend, with hosts and guests processing first the device explosions that killed at least 38 — including children — and injured thousands more and then the Israeli strike on a residential building on Friday that killed 37.

Criticism of Nasrallah ramps up: Speaking on Ahmed Moussa’s program Ala Mas’ouleety, former head of Al Ahram’s Lebanon office Maher Maklad said that Hezbollah was facing a serious security breach and called for Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah to resign from the party’s leadership in light of the attacks on the group’s military cadres after senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqeel was killed in an airstrike (watch, runtime: 5:08). Also speaking on Ala Mas’ouleety was regional security analyst Mahmoud Mohieldin, who stated that there was no body or mechanism within Hezbollah that could hold Nasrallah accountable, with Mohieldin suggesting that Israel is likely to target Nasrallah himself soon. Mohieldin also noted that while Hezbollah was likely preparing a response to the attack, the group’s last response to the killing of a top military commander — that of Fuad Shukr in July — had been foiled by Israel before it had been able to take place (watch, runtime: 11:14).

A plea for peace from Lebanon’s FM: DMC’s news segment also reported on a speech by Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib during a special UN Security Council session to discuss the situation in Lebanon. In his speech, he called for an end to Israel’s aggression and the implementation of international resolutions to maintain security and stability in the region. He expressed hope that a new war would not break out in the region (watch, runtime: 1:04).

A fresh archeological discovery catches the attention of the international press

It’s an archeology-heavy morning for Egypt in the foreign pages: The Washington Post and CBS News are out with pieces on the recent discovery of a bronze sword with the insignia of Ramses II in Beheira. The archeological mission also uncovered oven mitts, ivory applicators for kohl eyeliner, and ceremonial scarab beetles. Meanwhile, Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria got a mention in the National ’s deep dive into Alexandria and its journey from “the summer playground for Egypt's rich and powerful” to “an overcrowded city of 8 mn.”

AstraZeneca to nearly double local pill production by 2028 as part of USD 50 mn plan. PLUS: BAIC Group, Fiat + Dynamic Distribution, Capricorn, Jaz Hotel Group, Ferrum Egypt, NextEra, Makanak, Melee, City Lab

PHARMA-

AstraZeneca expanding capacity, to inject USD 50 mn in new investments by 2028: AstraZeneca Egypt is currently expanding its Sixth of October factory to nearly double its production by 1.3 bn tablets to 2.2 bn tablets by 2028, country president Hatem Werdany said, according to a ministry statement. The move comes as the company seeks to inject USD 50 mn into new investments in Egypt, and as the company studies the prospect of localizing 80% of units produced at the Egypt plant by 2028, according to Werdany.

AUTOMOTIVE-

#1- Yet another Chinese automaker eyes assembling cars in Egypt: China’s state-owned BAIC Group is reportedly negotiating with the government to establish a local car assembly factory in partnership with its local agent Alkan Auto by the end of 2025, Al Mal reports, citing an unnamed source from the Chinese auto giant. The two sides are currently in talks over what kinds of models the factory would assemble, the source added.

#2- Fiat EVs on Egyptian streets? Egypt’s Fiat distributor Dynamic Distribution has plans to distribute new Fiat models — including EVs — in Egypt next year, chairman Emad Helmy told Al Mal. Helmy believes that the auto market will stabilize as imports resume and the new models enter the market.

ENERGY-

Capricorn ups Egypt operations after arrears payment: “Following material cash collections in Egypt, we have resumed investing,” US energy company Capricorn said in its 1H 2024 results. The government paid USD 93 mn worth areas during the first half of the year, nearly double the USD 50 mn paid in the same period last year. The company announced in its accompanying presentation that it would commit to additional drilling and that its “development activity resumed in July following constructive discussions with the Egyptian General Petroleum Company on payments.”

Capricorn isn’t the first company to up its investments after the payment of dues: Earlier this year, Italian energy giant Eni announced that it would be drilling two new wells in its Zohr field shortly after the government cleared up USD 1.3 bn in arrears owed to foreign energy companies.

HOSPITALITY-

Jaz to manage luxury hotel in front of Sphinx Airport: Travco subsidiary Jaz Hotel Group will manage a luxury hotel — dubbed Ranches — in front of Sphinx International Airport under an agreement inked with real estate developer Dorra, the company said in a statement.

This isn’t Jaz’s only Giza hotel project in the works: We heard in December that the company had purchased Cataract Pyramids — to be rebranded to Jaz Palmira Pyramids — and Oasis hotels — rebranding to Jaz Oasis Pyramids. Jaz Palmira will add 400 hotel rooms to the group’s portfolio, while Jaz Oasis Pyramids will add 300 rooms. Further afield, the company also plans to set up six new hotels on the North Coast, in Hurghada, and in Marsa Alam, scheduled to open their doors next year, under a USD 215 mn investment plan announced earlier this month.

DEBT-

Ferrum Egypt looking to secure EGP 1.8 bn in financing for East Port Said silo factory: Ferrum Egypt is in talks with Commercial International Bank, Banque Misr, the National Bank of Egypt, and First Abu Dhabi Bank to secure an EGP 1.8 bn loan to help fund its EGP 2.3 bn silo factory in East Port Said, Al Borsa reports.

Signoff still needed on advance purchasing agreement: Sources speaking to Al Borsa added that the cabinet is being asked to sign off on an advance purchase agreement that will see the Supply Ministry purchase 1.4 mn tons of storage space prior to completing bank financing procedures and beginning work on the site.

Remember: Ferrum Egypt and East Port Said Development signed the land allocation agreement for the silo design and manufacturing factory in May. The factory aims to produce for the domestic market during its first three years of operation, before moving to export silos to European and African markets thereafter, according to Al Borsa.

EDUCATION-

NextEra to launch four tech-focused private universities outside of Cairo: NextEra Education aims to launch four branches of foreign universities in Egypt in the coming years in partnership with the Higher Education Ministry, according to a ministry statement. NextEra inked agreements with the University of Minnesota, Drake University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Paris International College

The goal: NextEra plans to capitalize on the wealth of talented students in Egypt to prepare qualified candidates for the tech-heavy jobs that will be available in the coming period, founder Mohamed Farouk told Asharq Business. The first university will be established in Helwan, Farouk said in the interview, with plans to establish further universities in Upper Egypt according to Al Borsa. The initiative is also considering expansion beyond Egypt in a later phase, Farouk told Asharq Business.

NextEra? NextEra was launched last week as an EGP 2 bn collaborative initiative between edtech platform EYouth and a number of business figures — including Ahmed Tarek — to leverage AI-powered learning and global partnerships to deliver accredited programs and bachelor’s degrees in fields such as programming, cybersecurity, AI, business administration, data science, and analytics.

SPEAKING OF- Businessman Ahmed Tarek plans to add an additional 80 schools to his portfolio over the next five years, which currently has seven schools, he told Al Borsa. Two of the schools will be acquired before the end of the year, Tarek added.

EXPANSION-

#1- Makanak is planning a move into the Saudi market by the end of this year: Integrated workspace provider Makanak is planning to open five branches in Saudi Arabia — three in Riyadh and two in Jeddah — by the end of 2024, CEO Moheb Zaki told Al Mal.

The how: The company has recently established a subsidiary in the Saudi market with a Saudi partner who owns 40% of the company, Zaki explained, adding that the company has allocated EGP 30 mn to investments in the Saudi market in the coming year.

The company is also expanding domestically and further afield: Makanak is also planning to add four new branches of its entrepreneur-targeted office space to its existing 15 branches in Cairo, with the company also planning an expansion into the Bahraini, Omani, and Qatari markets in the future, with the rest of Africa on the table as a final step.

#2- Melee ups price tag on Saudi sports club developments: Local real estate developer Melee is planning to invest around SAR 4.5 bn in three sports clubs in the Saudi cities of Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh, Melee chairman Gasser Bahgat told Asharq Business. When we first heard about the project with Adeer in July, we heard that the three projects would cost only SAR 1 bn. Bahgat added that the Khobar club should be completed by the end of the year.

M&A-

City Lab already has another acquisition target in its sights: The board of City Lab has okayed a non-binding MoU to acquire a hospital services management company, following a fair value study and the completion of due diligence, according to a disclosure to the EGX. The board also approved the appointment of Osoul Arabia for Investment as the independent financial advisor tasked with determining the targeted company’s fair share price.

ICYMI: City Lab finalized the acquisition of Cairo Clinical last week that saw City Lab pay EGP 59 mn for the company.

Investors weigh up the rationale behind the Fed’s rate cut

The Fed’s 50 bps rate cut, the first in over four years, has shifted investor focus to messaging — with investors weighing whether the move means the Fed is attempting to avert a recession or is confident about economic growth.

Was the Fed behind the curve? Some investors are not convinced by Fed Chair Jerome Powell assurances that the US economy is on the right track, convinced instead that the atypically large rate cut indicates fear that the US is behind the curve, Reuters reports.

History says yes: This is mostly because, historically, jumbo cuts have come in the context of crises or otherwise major issues with the economy, the New York Times writes.

But others take it as a sign of confidence in the economy: On the other hand, many are taking it as a positive sign that the US will be able to stick a soft landing, especially considering economic growth data estimates, other investors said. Bloomberg’s latest MLIV Pulse survey also showed that 75% of respondents expect a soft landing after the cut.

Wall Street’s response following the cut on Wednesday signaled a broader view that the move was positive, with US stocks climbing through the week. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% throughout the week, the tech-heavy Nasdaq was up 1.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the week 1.6% up on where it was on Monday morning.

EGX30	30,938	+2.0% (YTD: +24.3%)
USD (CBE)	Buy 48.45	Sell 48.59
USD (CIB)	Buy 48.46	Sell 48.56
Interest rates (CBE)	27.25% deposit	28.25% lending
Tadawul	12,080	+1.3% (YTD: +0.9%)
ADX	9,439	-0.7% (YTD: -1.5%)
DFM	4,436	+0.3% (YTD: +9.3%)
S&P 500	5,703	-0.2% (YTD: +19.6%)
FTSE 100	8,230	-1.2% (YTD: +6.4%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,872	-1.5% (YTD: +7.7%)
Brent crude	USD 74.49	-0.5%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.43	+3.7%
Gold	USD 2,646.20	+1.2%
BTC	USD 63,143.30	+0.5% (YTD: +49.4%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The EGX30 rose 2.0% at Thursday’s close on turnover of EGP 5.5 bn (42.1% above the 90-day average). Local investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 24.3% YTD.

In the green: Palm Hills Developments (+7.2%), Fawry (+5.7%), and GB Corp (+5.6%).

In the red: Ezz Steel (-2.9%), EFG Holding (-2.8%), and Alexandria Containers and Cargo Handling (-1.8%).

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

CIRA Education could pay a dividend of EGP 0.26 per share on its FY 2022-2023 earnings after its board approved the move, according to an EGX disclosure (pdf). The decision now rests with the ordinary general assembly, which is scheduled to meet on 15 October.

CALENDAR

2024

SEPTEMBER

24 September (Tuesday): Enterprise Finance Forum, Cairo, Egypt.

25 September (Wednesday): ITIDA’s DevOpsDays Cairo 2024 conference.

25-26 September (Wednesday-Thursday): The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) 2024 annual meeting, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

25-28 September (Wednesday-Saturday): Cityscape Egypt, Egypt International Exhibition Center, Cairo.

29 September (Sunday): AmCham Egypt Real Estate Conference.

30 September (Monday): Ban on sugar exports expiration.

30 September (Monday): Portfolio Egypt 2024, Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo.

30 September (Monday): Egypt Business Forum, Paris.

OCTOBER

1 October (Tuesday): Egypt Business Forum, Marseille.

1-3 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Cairo Sustainable Energy Week, Cairo, Egypt.

5-8 October (Saturday- Tuesday): Techne Summit Alexandria, Biblioteca, Alexandria.

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

7-11 October (Monday-Friday): Egyptian-Romanian Business Council Forum, Bucharest, Romania.

10-12 October (Thursday-Saturday): Egy Health Expo, Egypt International Exhibition Center, Cairo.

10-12 October (Thursday-Saturday): The FinExpo Conference and Exhibition, Cairo.

10-12 October (Thursday-Saturday): The EVs Electricity Egypt Expo and Conference.

13-17 October (Sunday-Thursday): Cairo Water Week, Water and Climate: Building Resilient Communities, Cairo, Egypt.

17 October (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

20-22 October (Sunday-Tuesday): Mediterranean Offshore Conference (MOC), Alexandria, Egypt.

21-27 October (Monday-Sunday): The World Bank and IMF annual meetings.

NOVEMBER

4-8 November (Monday-Friday): World Urban Forum, Cairo, Egypt.

12-15 November (Tuesday-Friday): Arab African Investment and International Cooperation Summit, Aswan, Egypt.

21 November (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

26-28 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Egypt Energy Show, Cairo, Egypt.

30 November (Saturday): Deadline to apply for renewable energy projects under the peer-to-peer (P2P) system.

DECEMBER

26 December (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2H 2024: Gov’t to launch the Cairo Ring Road BRT buses.

3Q 2024: Egyptian-Armenian Joint Committee.

First week of November: Egypt-Turkey high-level trade consultation mechanism.

November 2024: Egypt to host the World Urban Forum (WUF12).

End of 2024: The launch of the high-speed train line linking Ain Sokhna with Al Alamein City.

2025

May 2025: Egyptian Exporters Association (Expolink) exhibition, Italy.

July 2025: The first operational trail of Egypt-KSA electricity interconnection line.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2Q 2025: Safaga Terminal 2 to start operations.

2027

20 January-7 February: Egypt to host the African Games

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

End of 2027: Trial operations at the Dabaa nuclear power plant expected to take place.

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