Arab Finance: Egypt’s trade deficit widened by 36.2% year-on-year (YoY) to $6.4 billion in August 2026, compared to $4.7 billion in the same month of 2025, according to data released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).

The widening deficit came as imports grew faster than exports, with Egypt’s import bill rising by 27.4% to $11.1 billion in August, up from $8.7 billion a year earlier.

Meanwhile, Egyptian exports increased to $4.7 billion during the month, compared to $4 billion in August 2025.

Despite the widening trade gap, Egypt’s total foreign trade expanded by 24.7% YoY to $15.8 billion in August, compared to $12.6 billion in the corresponding month last year, marking an increase of $3.2 billion.

The August figures contributed to a broader rise in trade activity during the first eight months of 2026, when Egypt’s total trade exchange with international markets reached $121.3 billion, up 21%, or $21 billion, from $100.3 billion in the same period of 2025.

Imports accounted for the larger share of this growth, climbing by 27.5% to $84.7 billion between January and August, compared to $66.5 billion during the corresponding period last year, an increase of $18.2 billion.

Exports also recorded growth over the eight-month period, rising by 8.3% to $36.6 billion from $33.8 billion a year earlier, representing an increase of $2.8 billion.

The latest figures follow a sharper widening of Egypt’s trade deficit in July 2026, when the gap surged by approximately 54% YoY to $8.04 billion.

During July, imports jumped by 31.1% to $11.97 billion, while exports edged up to $3.93 billion from $3.9 billion in the same month of 2025.