Egyptian Financial Market Officials Meet with 20 Investment Firms in Saudi Arabia, UAE

Chairman of the EGX Rami El-Dokany. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Chairman of the EGX Rami El-Dokany. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Egyptian Financial Market Officials Meet with 20 Investment Firms in Saudi Arabia, UAE

Chairman of the EGX Rami El-Dokany. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Chairman of the EGX Rami El-Dokany. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

An Egyptian delegation including senior executives from the Financial Regulatory Authority, Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and Egyptian Exchange (EGX), have met with 20 investment institutions with large solvencies in Riyadh, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

The delegation is spearheading a Gulf tour aimed at attracting new investments after the Egyptian government announced that it will be offering 32 different companies on the EGX in the coming period.

Riyadh was the first stop of the promotional tour, whereby the delegation met with seven Saudi investment institutions.

In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the delegation met with 13 UAE investment companies.

During the meetings, presentations were made, and opinions, expertise and experiences were exchanged.

The delegation covered the latest developments in the Egyptian economy, and the policies adopted and implemented by the Egyptian government to create an environment for doing business and provide an attractive climate for investment.

They also discussed the government’s future plans to deal with economic variables such as inflation and exchange rates.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the FRA Mohamed Farid revealed that the authority is working on the automation of all non-banking financial services, including granting and renewing practicing licenses for professionals, in addition to developing financial technology (FinTech) to enable non-bank financial companies to market and distribute their products more effectively.

These efforts aim to expand the base of individuals benefiting from non-banking financial services, including capital and insurance markets, as well as non-banking funding activities like real estate financing, financial leasing, factoring, micro-financing, and consumer financing.

According to Farid, the standards of Egyptian accountability are being developed to align with best global practices to ensure financial stability for non-banking financial companies and the markets.



Oil Up, Heads for 4th Weekly gain as US Sanctions Hit Supply

FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
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Oil Up, Heads for 4th Weekly gain as US Sanctions Hit Supply

FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo

Oil prices rose on Friday and headed towards a fourth consecutive weekly gain as the latest US sanctions on Russian energy trade hit supply and pushed up spot trade prices and shipping rates.
Brent crude futures rose 44 cents, or 0.5%, to $81.73 per barrel by 0443 GMT, US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 62 cents, or 0.8%, to $79.3 a barrel.
Brent and WTI have gained 2.5% and 3.6% so far this week.
"Supply concerns from US sanctions on Russian oil producers and tankers, combined with expectations of a demand recovery driven by potential US interest rate cuts, are bolstering the crude market," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities.
"The anticipated increase in kerosene demand due to cold weather in the US is another supportive factor," he added.
The Biden administration last Friday announced widening sanctions targeting Russian oil producers and tankers, followed by more measures against Russia's military-industrial base and sanctions-evasion efforts.
Moscow's top customers China and India are now scouring the globe for replacement barrels, driving a surge in shipping rates.
Investors are also anxiously waiting to see any possible more supply disruptions as Donald Trump takes office next Monday.
"Mounting supply risks continue to provide broad support to oil prices," ING analysts wrote in a research note, adding the incoming Donald Trump administration is expected to take a tough stance on Iran and Venezuela, the two main suppliers of crude oil.
Better demand expectations also lent some support to the oil market with renewed hopes of interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve after data showed easing inflation in the world's biggest economy.
Inflation is likely to continue to ease and possibly allow the US central bank to cut interest rates sooner and faster than expected, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, China's economic data on Friday showed higher-than-expected economic growth for the fourth quarter and for the full year 2024, as a flurry of stimulus measures came into effect.
However, China's oil refinery throughput in 2024 fell for the first time in more than two decades barring the pandemic-hit year of 2022, government data showed on Friday, as plants pruned output in response to stagnant fuel demand and depressed margins.
Also weighing on the market was that Yemen's maritime security officials said the Houthi militia is expected to announce a halt in its attacks on ships in the Red Sea, after a ceasefire deal in the war in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
The attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to make longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa for more than a year.