The Central Bank of Egypt kept its key interest rates unchanged on August 20, extending its policy pause for a fourth consecutive meeting. The Monetary Policy Committee maintained the overnight deposit rate at 19% and the overnight lending rate at 20%. It also kept the main operation and discount rates at 19.5%. The CBE said the decision reflected its assessment of current inflation conditions and the economic outlook since its July meeting. The rates have remained at these levels since February.

Japan’s July trade reached record values as imports outpaced exports. This month marked the second consecutive time that Japan achieved a record high in import value. The rise in crude oil imports played a key role as Japan faced increased energy costs. Compared to July 2025, crude oil imports increased by 5.5%, ending a three-month period of year-on-year declines. The value of these crude shipments surged by 87.8% over that period. Japan’s heavy reliance on imported energy means that fluctuations in oil prices and exchange rates significantly influence its merchandise trade figures.

Wall Street closed higher as Treasury yields fell and healthcare stocks rallied. Bond prices rose following the U.S. Treasury Department’s announcement of increased liquidity support buybacks for longer-dated government debt. Beginning September 9, the maximum purchase amount will go from $2 billion to at least $4 billion per operation. This change applies to nominal coupon securities in the 10-to-20-year and 20-to-30-year maturity segments. The enhanced amounts will be maintained through November 4. The department indicated that strong demand for high-quality offers prompted the decision to expand liquidity operations in those sectors. Following the announcement, Treasury yields declined, reversing part of the recent increase in long-term borrowing costs. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped to approximately 4.65%, while the 30-year yield decreased to about 5.20%. On Tuesday, the 30-year yield had reached 5.337%, its highest point since 2007. Since bond yields move inversely to prices, increased demand for government debt pushed yields lower. This retreat alleviated some of the pressure from the recent selloff in longer-term government bonds. Healthcare stocks bolster market gains Healthcare equities contributed to Wednesday’s positive momentum as several pharmaceutical companies posted significant gains. Moderna shares surged 177%, while Merck’s stock rose 12.6% after both firms announced promising results from a Phase 3 melanoma trial. The INTerpath-001 study tested a personalized mRNA therapy, intismeran

Global markets for precious metals moved lower on Friday, with spot gold prices falling and pushing the asset toward a weekly decline. Data from financial markets indicated that spot gold decreased 0.5 percent to trade at $4,326.75 per ounce, while United States gold futures for December delivery fell nearly 1.0 percent to $4,382.50 per ounce. These market setbacks followed a sharp, temporary surge on Thursday when bullion prices reached their highest levels in more than two months before settling 1.3 percent lower amid a wave of profit taking.

Global electric vehicle sales grew 9% year on year in July 2026 to reach 1.85 million units. Among the major EV markets, Europe experienced the strongest growth in July, with sales rising by 33% compared to the previous year. France saw an 81% yearly surge in July, achieving a 37% EV penetration rate. Germany recorded a 46% growth, while the United Kingdom experienced a 43% increase. Battery-electric vehicles continued to expand their market share across Europe, reaching 20.7% of new car registrations in the European Union.

South Korea’s automobile exports increased by 7.0% year on year to reach US$6.24 billion in July 2026. This figure set a new record for the highest export value ever recorded for that month. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported that exports surpassed the previous July record of US$5.90 billion, which was established in 2023. In comparison, exports in July 2025 totaled US$5.83 billion. Domestic vehicle sales grew slightly by 0.5%, totaling 139,000 units, while production increased significantly by 11.3% to 352,000 vehicles.