Egypt In-Focus — Annual headline inflation rises 1%; M&A activity amounts to $3.2bn in H1


CAPMAS attributed the rise in inflation to the increase in food and beverage prices that grew by 23.8 percent, along with growth in commodity and services prices.
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Updated 11 August 2022
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Egypt In-Focus — Annual headline inflation rises 1%; M&A activity amounts to $3.2bn in H1


CAIRO: Egypt’s annual headline inflation rose to 15.6 percent in July, up from 14.6 in June, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.

CAPMAS attributed the rise in inflation to the increase in food and beverage prices that grew by 23.8 percent, along with growth in commodity and services prices.

M&A activity

Egypt reported a total of 65 mergers and acquisitions deals, valued at $3.2 billion, during the first six months of 2022, according to the EY MENA M&A Insights report.

Deal activity has surged thrice year-on-year during the first half of 2022. The report attributed the surge to “favorable government initiatives including granting a special license to foreign investors.” 

Port agreements

Egypt on Thursday signed two initial agreements for the development of port facilities with Hutchison Ports, Cosco and CMA CGM, Reuters reported citing a Cabinet statement.

The agreements with the international consortium could see investments of up to 800 million, it added.

Gas consumption 

Egypt has launched a plan to rationalize gas consumption in electricity plants in a bid to save foreign currency and achieve financial returns from gas export, according to Daily News Egypt. 

Maersk to invest $500m in Egypt

Danish shipping company Maersk is planning to invest  $500 million in Egypt to operate a new 1,000-meter container berth adjacent to the existing 500-meter berth in East Port Said. 

The company also aims to increase the number of cranes to 30 winches, all powered by electricity instead of diesel, according to a statement. 

This came at the end of  the head of the Suez Canal Authority Osama Rabie’s tour to the Netherlands and Denmark, which lasted 4 days, from Aug.7 to 10.

 


Non-hydrocarbon sector drives Qatar’s 2.9% growth in Q3 

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Non-hydrocarbon sector drives Qatar’s 2.9% growth in Q3 

RIYADH: Qatar’s real gross domestic product increased by 2.9 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2025, supported primarily by strong performance in the non-hydrocarbon sector, which recorded growth of 4.4 percent. 

Data released by the National Planning Council show that estimated GDP at constant prices reached 186.1 billion Qatari riyals ($51 billion) in the third quarter of 2025, up from 180.9 billion riyals during the same period last year, according to figures cited by the Qatar News Agency. 

This outcome is consistent with recent analysis by the International Monetary Fund, which noted that economies across the Gulf Cooperation Council are expected to sustain growth momentum despite heightened global uncertainty. The IMF attributed this resilience to robust non-oil activity, firm domestic demand, and the continued rollout of structural reforms across the region. 

The results also align with the IMF’s forecast that overall GCC output will accelerate to an average of 3.3 percent in 2025, compared with 1.7 percent in 2024, as member states gradually unwind oil production cuts agreed under the OPEC+ framework. 

According to QNA, non-hydrocarbon activities accounted for 65.5 percent of real GDP, with value added rising to 121.9 billion riyals in the third quarter of 2025, compared with 116.8 billion riyals in the corresponding period of 2024. This represents an annual increase of 4.4 percent and remains in line with the goals of the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030. 

Within the non-hydrocarbon economy, construction, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, as well as accommodation and food service activities, emerged as the fastest-growing sectors on an annual basis, expanding by 9.1 percent, 8.9 percent, and 6.4 percent, respectively. 

The statement added that this growth reflects stronger domestic demand, increased visitor activity, and the continued execution of infrastructure and public sector projects, with positive spillover effects across services and trade-related industries. 

NPC Secretary-General Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa said the results underscore “the strength of the Qatari economy and the continuation of the economic diversification path,” noting that real growth driven by non-hydrocarbon activities confirms the effectiveness of economic and development policies. He added that these policies are enhancing the contribution of productive and service sectors in line with the Third National Development Strategy and reinforcing the national economy’s capacity to achieve sustainable and balanced growth over the medium and long term. 

During the third quarter, 15 out of 17 economic activities recorded positive real growth, highlighting the breadth and resilience of Qatar’s economic base. 

The National Statistics Centre, which operates under the NPC, continues to enhance GDP measurement methodologies, with recent revisions applied to third quarter estimates. 

As part of broader efforts to align national accounts with international best practices, a comprehensive review of Qatar’s national accounts is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.