Egypt: companies highlight sharp fall in demand linked to inflationary pressures

The S&P Global Egypt PMI rose to 46.4 in July, from a two-year low of 45.2 in June. While the rise in the index was the largest seen in just over a year, the reading remained well below the 50-point threshold, signalling a deterioration in operating conditions. Survey results show that output and new orders decreased again, albeit at slower rates compared to June. Companies, again, highlighted a sharp fall in demand linked to inflationary pressures, although there were signs that these had begun to soften following June’s two-year record low. Business expectations for the next 12 months remained largely subdued in July. After rising to a five-month high in June, sentiment fell sharply and was one of the weakest on record. Only 13 percent of companies predicted growth of output over the coming year.