What we’re tracking on 1 November 2018
We’re closing the week with more good news as Egypt ranked among the most-improved countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report. It’s the third reminder this week that smart government policy can make a difference, following news of the massive environmental benefits of the white taxi program and the near-elimination this fall of the annual “black cloud” over Cairo — both thanks to good policymaking. We have more in this morning’s Speed Round, below.
Two highlights outside the news well this morning: We have an exclusive opinion column from top execs and directors at three of the nation’s top mineral resources companies. And we’re very pleased to launch our new My Morning Routine column, which will run on Thursdays in place of On Your Way Out.
The first annual Middle East Conference on Business Angel Investmenttakes place today in El Gouna. The conference will bring together angel investors, venture capitalists and others to discuss the latest trends in fintech, clean tech, health technology and transportation technology. More here.
Egypt’s World Youth Forum 2018 will kick-off in Sharm El Sheikh this Saturday and run until Tuesday, 6 November.
Consumer protection watchdog enforces return policy on Sharm shops ahead forum: The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) announced yesterday that it has enforced a return and replacement policy on all shops in Sharm El Sheikh before visitors start landing in the city for the forum, Al Shorouk reports. The agency also launched a campaign to “educate” tourists about their rights as consumers. The campaign sees flyers being distributed in airports, shops, hotels, and other public venues, as well as text messages, according to CPA boss Reda Abdel Moaty.
Markets closed October on a good note: “Global stocks ended a grim October on a brighter note, as corporate earnings on both sides of the Atlantic tempted investors back into a market beset by worries over rising interest rates, trade tensions and a slowing global economy,” the Financial Times writes. The WSJ zeroes in on US market performance. The EGX30 closed up 0.73% yesterday.
Credit Suisse’s Ahmed Badr snagged two bankers from BofA to help lead the Swiss lender’s new drive for market share in the Middle East, Bloomberg reports. “The Zurich-based bank appointed [Bank of America’s] Hamdy Hamoudi to lead equity sales in the region and Imran Dadabhoy to manage sales trading…[Credit Suisse] sales trader Karim Osman will relocate to Riyadh from London to manage equity sales trading.” Credit Suisse lured Badr back from Renaissance Capital last month to serve as managing director and head of equities for MENA as the bank looks to “rebuild its equity operations in Dubai after scaling back a few years ago amid a slowdown in trading.”
Reuters has an amazing series out on climate change headlined “Ocean Shock” that looks at the “climate crisis beneath the waves. Driven by warming waters, marine life is on the move — and life on land is forever changed.” The beautiful landing page for the 10-article series is here. Among the highlights of the package, which brings stories to life with stunning photography, video and data alike:
- The great lobster rush: In Maine, warming seas set up boom and bust
- Plundering Africa: Voracious fishmeal factories intensify the pressure of climate change
- The Silicon Valley of the Sea: The future of seafood
Egyptian journalist Hamdi Qandil passed away last night at the age of 82 after many years of battling disease, Ahram Gate reports.