CASE 3rd Quarter News

Fitch Credit Rating Agency raised Egypt  foreign currency rating from stable to positive, affirming a  BB+  foreign currency rating and a  BBB  local currency rating, with a stable outlook. Moreover, Fitch assigned a  B  short term foreign currency rating, maintaining a Country Ceiling Rating of  +BB .

The IMF recent report praised the significant progress in Egypt  economy for FY 2006/2007, pointing out that the government reform program has put Egypt on the right track to achieve economic stability. These economic reforms have helped in creating 2.4 million new job opportunity since the end of 2004 till March 2007, pushing the unemployment rate to reach 9% down from 10.5%. Egypt  GDP growth rate has also soared to 7.1% in FY 2006/2007 compared to 5.7% for the same period last year, according to IMF estimates. The report also highlighted the reforms that took place on the fiscal front, which have contributed to a stability in the budget deficit at 7.9% as a percentage of GDP in FY 2006/2007, compared to 9% during the same period last year.
Furthermore, IMF assured the acceleration of the privatization program which stimulates the private sector contribution in improving the economic conditions in Egypt.

The Minister of Economic Development announced the decline of inflation rate through out the past three month to reach 8.5% in June compared to 12.8% last March.

Oxford Business Group assured that the past years witnessed a framework restructuring for FDI in Egypt, with the concentration of foreign investments in greenfield and expansion investments as it contributed to 55% of the total foreign investments. The Group also pointed that FDI to Egypt increased 12 folds over 2001 to reach US$ 6.1 billion in 2006, with an expectation to reach US$ 10 billion during the current year.

Egypt has emerged as the world  most improved business reformer, according to the latest World Bank report. This recognition came as a result of the intensive economic reform undertaken by the government, including reforms in the company registry, credit system and the structure reform of the customs.

Ministry of Finance has offered the first ever Synthetic EGP Bond in the international markets for an amount of LE 5 billion. The offer was over subscribed by 2.5 times with a value of more than LE 12.5 billion, which asserts the strength of the Egyptian economy, the Egyptian Pound as well as the increasing foreign investors’ confidence in Egypt  economy.

In its continuous efforts to upgrade its services to market participants as well as harmonize with international capital markets, CASE has re-classified all its listed companies into 17 new sectors, instead of the current 22 sectors, effective 4th of September 2007. In parallel, CASE launched for the first time, twelve sector indices, which comprise: Banks, Basic Resources, Chemicals, Construction and Materials, Food and Beverage, Financial Services Excluding Banks, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Goods and Services and Automobiles, Personal and Household Products, Real Estate, Telecommunications, Travel and Leisure.

Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, announced, on 12 June 2007, the results of the regular annual review of the index and as of the open of trading on June 18, 2007, two companies will be added to the Dow Jones CASE Egypt Titans 20 Index, whereas three companies will be removed from the index.

Effective the 17th of June 2007, price limits for the most active 100 companies determined by CASE criteria, were removed.

 Within the framework of its investor education and public awareness campaign, Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchanges (CASE) continued, for the fourth consecutive year, to conduct Borsa Step x Step Program, targeting this year the different governorates around Egypt.

Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchanges (CASE) and Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 7th June 2007 to facilitate the exchange of information between the two exchanges for the respective benefit of the securities markets in Egypt and China.

Within the framework of enforcing regional alliances and strengthening mutual cooperation among African Capital Markets, CASE hosted the first round table meeting of the Chief Executives of Stock Exchanges in the COMESA region, over the period 16 – 17 July 2007. Capital Market experts and representatives from Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Libya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mauritius, Burundi and Congo gathered to discuss prospects for stock markets’ integration in the COMESA region.

The Capital Market Authority issued the decree which modifies the criteria of Capital Adequacy for securities intermediation companies with the purpose of enhancing their efficiency in management the risks related to their activities including market, settlement, liquidity, operation and credit risks. The new rules are effective since 1st of October 2007.