What we’re tracking this week
The central bank’s monetary policy committee will meet on Thursday to decide on interest rates. It’s the MPC’s first meeting since the announcement earlier this month that the core inflation rate dropped to 34.86% in August, from 35.26% in July and comes after the US Federal Reserve’s FOMC left the federal funds rate on hold last week — and signaled it would start shrinking its USD 4.5 tn balance sheet. CBE Governor Tarek Amer last week suggested that we may have reached peak inflation in August, but don’t hold your breath for a rate cut until year’s end.
The Council of State expects to conclude its review of the Dabaa nuclear power plant’s four contracts this week. Russian officials said they expect the contracts to be signed in two months’ time, but that the date depends on President Vladimir Putin’s schedule. The contracts are believed to be the unofficial prerequisite for the resumption of flights between Cairo and Moscow.
Entirely coincidentally, of course, the Egyptian Tourism Ministry has launched a new campaign in Russia, according to AMAY.
4G services are expected to officially roll out at a ceremony this Thursday, presided over by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail.