Egypt’s macroeconomic conditions improving, says minister

The country’s non-oil trade increased by $6.2 billion while tourism revenues surged by 26 percent. Reuters
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Updated 18 June 2023
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Egypt’s macroeconomic conditions improving, says minister

RIYADH: Egypt’s macroeconomic indicators have improved as the North African country recorded a primary budget surplus of 1.2 percent of the gross domestic product during the first 11 months of the current fiscal which ends on June 31.

During a recent meeting with members of the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said the country’s tax revenues grew by 29.4 percent during the aforementioned period. The minister attributed the development to the country’s digitalization efforts.

He said the current account in the first half of the current fiscal year recorded a surplus of $1.8 billion while the oil trade balance achieved a surplus of $1.9 billion.

The minister told the meeting that the country’s non-oil trade increased by $6.2 billion while tourism revenues surged by 26 percent.

He stated that net foreign direct investments grew by 75 percent to reach $5.7 billion noting that the Suez Canal revenues amounted to $4 billion.

Maait said the North African country aims to close the current financial year with $49.3 billion in revenues with an expected growth of 41 percent in the next fiscal year to reach $69.4 billion.

The primary surplus in the fiscal year 2023-2024 is expected to reach 2.5 percent of the GDP according to the budget figures, reported Egypt’s local media.


Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 11,228 

Updated 15 February 2026
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 11,228 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Sunday, lost 23.17 points, or 0.21 percent, to close at 11,228.64. 

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR2.99 billion ($797 million), as 170 of the stocks advanced and 82 retreated.    

On the other hand, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu gained 449.38 points, or 1.90 percent, to close at 24,093.12. This comes as 43 of the stocks advanced while 27 retreated.    

The MSCI Tadawul Index lost 6.07 points, or 0.40 percent, to close at 1,511.36.     

The best-performing stock of the day was Obeikan Glass Co., whose share price surged 7.54 percent to SR27.66.  

Other top performers included Alamar Foods Co., whose share price rose 6.80 percent to SR47.10, as well as Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co., whose share price climbed 6.79 percent to SR5.66.   

Saudi Investment Bank recorded the steepest drop, falling 3.21 percent to SR13.56. 

Jahez International Co. for Information System Technology also saw its share price fall 3.15 percent to SR13.55. 

Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. declined 2.78 percent to SR7.34. 

On the announcements front, Tanmiah Food Co. reported its annual financial results for the period ending Dec. 31. According to a Tadawul statement, the company recorded a net loss of SR18.8 million, compared with a net profit of SR95.8 million a year earlier. 

The net loss was mainly due to ongoing market challenges that resulted in continued pricing pressures in fresh poultry, inflationary cost pressures, higher financing expenses, and depreciation and ramp-up costs from new facilities, partially offset by increased production volumes and cost-optimization initiatives.  

Tanmiah Food Co. ended the session at SR58.20, up 3.72 percent. 

United International Holding Co., also known as Tas’heel, announced its annual financial results for the period ending Dec. 31. A bourse filing showed the company recorded a net profit of SR273.64 million in 2025, up 23.05 percent from 2024, primarily driven by a 23.4 percent rise in revenues. The revenue growth helped lift gross profit by 23.7 percent. 

Tas’heel ended the session at SR146.80, down 0.28 percent.