Arab Finance: Egyptian exports rose by around 7.1% year on year (YoY) to $28 billion in the first half (H1) of 2026, according to data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Similarly, Egypt's imports increased by 23.6% YoY to approximately $60.4 billion during the same period.
The country’s total foreign trade reached $88.4 billion in the first six months of 2026, up from $75 billion a year earlier.
In May, Egypt’s trade deficit narrowed for the first time since September 2025, declining by 0.3% YoY to $3.99 billion.
Exports grew by 3.58% to $4.53 billion last May, while imports increased by 1.72% to $8.52 billion from $8.37 billion in May 2025.
This rise in exports was led by fresh fruit shipments, which jumped by 40.3% YoY. Crude oil exports climbed by 56.4% last May, while exports of plastics in primary forms and fertilizers increased by 29.1% and 9.4%, respectively.
On the import side, natural gas imports surged by 96.8% YoY in May. Wheat imports grew by 33.5%, while imports of petroleum products and iron and steel ore rose by 18.2% and 3.3%, respectively.
