Egypt: Non-Oil Private Sector PMI Drops to Near 2-Year Low.

The S&P Global Egypt PMI fell to 48.0 in March 2026 from 48.9 in February, marking the lowest reading since April 2024. Non-oil private sector activity extended its recent decline, broadly in line with the survey’s long-run average of 48.2, as output and new orders dropped at the fastest pace in near two years amid the Middle East war, which dampened demand and fueled price pressures. Purchasing levels edged up after two monthly reductions, while employment stabilized following job cuts late last year. On prices, input cost inflation accelerated to the joint-sharpest in 18 months, driven by higher fuel and input prices linked to the war and a stronger US dollar. Selling prices rose at the steepest rate since May 2025, though increases remained modest and near the long-run average. Looking ahead, business confidence fell for the first time in the survey’s history, though pessimism was mild, with only a few firms citing war-related uncertainty as the reason for negative forecasts.