URGENT: Egypt’s annual inflation slows to 13% in May – CAPMAS

Egypt’s annual inflation rate slowed to 13.0 per cent in May 2026 from 13.4 per cent in April, while the nationwide Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.4 per cent month on month to 292.0 points, data from Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) showed on Wednesday.

The monthly increase was driven mainly by a 12.7 per cent rise in fruit prices, a 3.5 per cent rise in meat and poultry prices, a 1.7 per cent rise in vegetable prices, and a 1.0 per cent rise in electricity, gas, and other fuel prices.

Food and beverage prices rose 2.1 per cent in May from April, while housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel prices increased 2.0 per cent. Communication services rose 9.7 per cent following a 10.4 per cent increase in telephone and fax service charges, while healthcare and transport prices increased 0.2 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively.

On an annual basis, food and beverage prices rose 7.5 per cent, driven by a 46.4 per cent increase in vegetable prices, a 3.8 per cent rise in meat and poultry prices, and a 0.2 per cent increase in sugar and sugary foods prices, although fruit prices fell 7.9 per cent year on year.

Transport prices rose 21.4 per cent year on year, education prices increased 20.0 per cent, communication services rose 10.5 per cent, and healthcare prices increased 5.3 per cent.