Standard Chartered: Egypt to receive US$6 Billion from Qatar and Kuwait before end of 2025
In a report titled 'Global Focus – Economic Outlook for the Second Half of 2025', the bank explained that this outlook is fueled by strong foreign exchange inflows from portfolio investments and official sectors, increasing confidence in the Egyptian pound.
Standard Chartered expects more than 50 percent of the major investment pledges from Qatar and Kuwait, totaling US$ 12.5 billion, to be disbursed by the end of this year.
It added that despite the Central Bank of Egypt's continued monetary easing policy to stimulate growth, the carry trade remains at the forefront of investor interest, supported by the success of the foreign exchange convertibility test.
Standard Chartered noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has affirmed its interest in advancing structural reforms in Egypt, calling for the adoption of tighter fiscal policies and accelerating privatization efforts. These reforms aim to boost investment flows, paving the way for sustainable growth in the country.
The Bank forecasts Egypt's GDP to grow by 4.5 percent in fiscal year 2026, emphasizing the pivotal role private investment plays in stimulating economic recovery.
The CEO of Standard Chartered Egypt, Mohamed Gad, explained that the Egyptian economy continues to progress toward a promising path, expecting the current account deficit to narrow, supported by a rise in remittances from Egyptians working abroad, which jumped by about 60 percent year-on-year in March – in addition to a recovery in the export sector.
According to the report, inflation is likely to stabilize in the 13-17 percent range, while the CBE is expected to approach interest rate cuts cautiously, with the key interest rate expected to reach 19.25 percent by the end of the year.
Average inflation is estimated to reach around 11 percent in fiscal year 2026, with continued cost pressures in the healthcare, food, and transportation sectors. However, Egypt's proactive policy measures are believed to help overcome these challenges and strengthen the economy's long-term resilience.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
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