Egypt’s Central Bank of Egypt decided to keep its benchmark interest rates unchanged, maintaining borrowing costs at the levels established in February. The Monetary Policy Committee maintained the overnight deposit rate at 19.00% and the overnight lending rate at 20.00%. Additionally, the main operation rate and discount rate were held steady at 19.50%. The bank explained that the decision was based on its review of inflation trends, current economic conditions, and potential risks affecting the outlook for prices.

The Asian Development Bank’s latest outlook forecasts a slowdown in economic expansion across developing Asia and the Pacific to 5.0% in 2026. This marks a slight decrease from the 5.5% growth recorded in 2025. The bank’s new estimate for 2026 is 0.1 percentage point higher than its July projection. Growth is expected to pick up to 5.1% in 2027, driven by increased investment, government expenditure, and ongoing demand for technology exports related to artificial intelligence.

From January through July 2026, Egyptians working abroad sent home approximately $29.7 billion in remittances. The Central Bank of Egypt indicated this amount marked a 28.1% increase compared to around $23.2 billion during the same period last year. The seven-month rise contributed roughly $6.5 billion more than the same period in 2025. These figures reflect funds transferred by Egyptians employed outside the country. The increase in the January-to-July period followed the record-breaking total reported for the full year 2025.

China has kept its benchmark lending rates steady in September, marking the continuation of a period with unchanged borrowing costs. The one-year loan prime rate remains at 3.0%, and the over-five-year rate stays at 3.5%. Banks often base mortgage rates on the longer-term benchmark. The September rate setting maintained both rates at the levels seen in August, remaining central to loan pricing throughout China’s banking sector.