Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The Egyptian pound fell sharply against the US dollar on Sunday, breaking the 52-pound threshold in local banking markets as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East triggered foreign investor outflows and renewed pressure on Egypt’s currency.
According to market data, the US dollar rose by about 4.3 percent during trading, with several banks recording exchange rates above 52 Egyptian pounds per dollar.
The currency move comes amid heightened uncertainty across the region following the escalating military confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which has unsettled financial markets and prompted some international investors to pull funds from emerging markets, including Egypt.
Banking data showed that the highest exchange rate for the dollar was recorded at several lenders, including Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Bank of Alexandria, MIDBANK, Kuwait Finance House, Qatar National Bank and Suez Canal Bank. At these banks, the US currency reached approximately 52.15 pounds for purchase and 52.25 pounds for sale.
Meanwhile, the lowest exchange rate was recorded at Emirates NBD, where the dollar traded at around 49.99 pounds for buying and 50.09 pounds for selling.
At Banque Misr, the dollar was priced at 52.14 pounds for purchase and 52.24 pounds for sale, while Commercial International Bank reported a rate of 52.12 pounds for buying and 52.22 pounds for selling.
The currency also traded slightly lower at National Bank of Egypt, Arab Bank and SAIB Bank, where the dollar stood at about 51.82 pounds for buying and 51.92 pounds for selling.
According to official figures from the Central Bank of Egypt, the dollar’s reference rate was recorded at around 50.09 pounds for purchase and 50.23 pounds for sale.
Financial analysts say the sharp movement reflects growing investor concerns about regional instability and its potential economic impact, particularly as Egypt remains sensitive to shifts in global capital flows and energy markets.
The recent weakness contrasts with the Egyptian pound’s relatively strong performance in 2025. The currency ended last year on a positive note, rising by roughly 6.7 percent against the dollar since the beginning of the year.
That earlier improvement had been supported by a surge in remittances from Egyptians working abroad and improved liquidity in the domestic banking sector, which helped stabilize foreign currency reserves.
However, with the Middle East conflict intensifying and global investors reassessing risk exposure in emerging markets, economists warn that currency volatility could persist in the short term as markets react to geopolitical developments.
