Egypt In-Focus: Trade exchange with Jordan stands at $500 m; industrial sector to account for 15% of GDP in 2024

 Egypt’s industrial sector is expected to contribute to the country’s gross domestic product by 15 percent in 2024, local newspaper Youm 7 reported, citing Minister of Planning Hala Al-Saeed.  
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Updated 01 June 2022
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Egypt In-Focus: Trade exchange with Jordan stands at $500 m; industrial sector to account for 15% of GDP in 2024

RIYADH: The trade exchange between Egypt and Jordan stands at $500 million. The country’s industrial sector is projected to contribute 15 percent to the gross domestic product in 2024. Meanwhile, Siemens Egypt and Petrojet have joined hands to boost several sectors including petroleum and infrastructure. 

·      Trade exchange between Egypt and Jordan currently stands at $500 million, local newspaper Egypt Today reported, citing Khalil El-Haj Tawfik, chairman of the Amman Chamber of Commerce. Egyptian food exports to Jordan during the first quarter reached $47 million, reflecting a 6 percent surge as compared to the same period last year.

·      Egypt’s industrial sector is expected to contribute to the country’s gross domestic product by 15 percent in 2024, local newspaper Youm 7 reported, citing Minister of Planning Hala Al-Saeed.  

·      Automation firm Siemens Egypt and Egypt-based construction engineering firm Petrojet have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation in Egypt’s petroleum, infrastructure, utilities, and water sectors, local newspaper Daily News Egypt reported. The agreement falls under the framework of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources strategy in line with the North African country’s Vision 2030 which includes digitizing the petroleum sector.

·      Net foreign sales in the Egyptian Stock Exchange hit 780 million Egyptian pounds, local newspaper Youm 7 reported. While foreigners accounted for 22.4 percent of transactions, Egyptians accounted for 68.9 percent, and Arabs stood at 8.8 percent.


Silver crosses $77 mark while gold, platinum stretch record highs

Updated 27 December 2025
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Silver crosses $77 mark while gold, platinum stretch record highs

  • Spot silver touched an all-time high of $77.40 earlier today, marking a 167% year-to-date surge driven by supply deficits
  • Spot platinum rose 9.8% to $2,437.72 per ounce, while palladium surged 14 percent to $1,927.81, its highest level in over 3 years

Silver breached the $77 mark for the first time on Friday, while gold and platinum hit record highs, buoyed by expectations of US Federal Reserve rate cuts and geopolitical tensions that fueled safe-haven demand.

Spot silver jumped 7.5% to $77.30 per ounce, as of 1:53 p.m. ET (1853 GMT), after touching an all-time high of $77.40 earlier today, marking a 167% year-to-date surge driven by supply deficits, its designation ‌as a US ‌critical mineral, and strong investment inflows.

Spot gold ‌was ⁠up ​1.2% at $4,531.41 ‌per ounce, after hitting a record $4,549.71 earlier. US gold futures for February delivery settled 1.1% higher at $4,552.70.

“Expectations for further Fed easing in 2026, a weak dollar and heightened geopolitical tensions are driving volatility in thin markets. While there is some risk of profit-taking before the year-end, the trend remains strong,” said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist ⁠at Zaner Metals.

Markets are anticipating two rate cuts in 2026, with the first likely ‌around mid-year amid speculation that US President Donald ‍Trump could name a dovish ‍Fed chair, reinforcing expectations for a more accommodative monetary stance.

The US ‍dollar index was on track for a weekly decline, enhancing the appeal of dollar-priced gold for overseas buyers.

On the geopolitical front, the US carried out airstrikes against Daesh militants in northwest Nigeria, Trump said on Thursday.

“$80 in ​silver is within reach by year-end. For gold, the next objective is $4,686.61, with $5,000 likely in the first half of next ⁠year,” Grant added.

Gold remains poised for its strongest annual gain since 1979, underpinned by Fed policy easing, central bank purchases, ETF inflows, and ongoing de-dollarization trends.

On the physical demand side, gold discounts in India widened to their highest in more than six months this week as a relentless price rally curbed retail buying, while discounts in China narrowed sharply from last week’s five-year highs.

Elsewhere, spot platinum rose 9.8% to $2,437.72 per ounce, having earlier hit a record high of $2,454.12 while palladium surged 14% to $1,927.81, its highest level in more than three years.

All precious ‌metals logged weekly gains, with platinum recording its strongest weekly rise on record.