Some good news for a change: Consumer confidence in Egypt grew by three points q-o-q to a reading of 81 on Nielsen’s Consumer Confidence Index for 2Q2016, below the Middle East / Africa average of 89. Egypt is ranked above only South Africa in a regional list topped by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Job prospect sentiment improved by two points to 31% and personal finance sentiment was flat at 49%. In the latest sign that Egyptian consumers are feeling the pinch of inflation, the report shows that “Immediate-spending intentions were generally stable in each market. In the region, one in four respondents said they had no spare cash after paying basic living expenses, with levels in Egypt (31%) and Morocco (29%) above the average.” The landing page of the report is here and you can download it in full using the link on the right hand side, but will have to register.