Egypt Inflation at 10-Month High on Fuel Price Hikes

2026-04-09 06:38 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

Egypt’s annual urban inflation rate accelerated to 15.2% in March 2026 from 13.4% in February, above forecasts of 12%.

This marked the highest reading since May 2025, amid a surge in oil prices.

Egypt raised fuel prices in early March by about 14% to 17% across a wide range of petroleum products, the first increase this year.

Inflation accelerated in transport (39.4% vs 27.5% in February), food (5.8% vs 4.6%), housing and utilities (35.3% vs 31.7%), clothing and footwear (14.4% vs 14.2%), miscellaneous goods and services (11.6% vs 10.9%), restaurants and hotels (12.8% vs 11.9%), furnishings and household equipment (11.1% vs 10.8%), and alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics (16.9% vs 15.7%).

Meanwhile, price growth moderated in health (17.0% vs 17.8%) and recreation and culture (15.0% vs 15.1%), while inflation remained steady in communications (at 0.4%).

Monthly, CPI rose 3.2% in March, after a 2.8% gain in February, marking the fastest monthly increase since February 2023.



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Egypt Inflation at 10-Month High on Fuel Price Hikes
Egypt’s annual urban inflation rate accelerated to 15.2% in March 2026 from 13.4% in February, above forecasts of 12%. This marked the highest reading since May 2025, amid a surge in oil prices. Egypt raised fuel prices in early March by about 14% to 17% across a wide range of petroleum products, the first increase this year. Inflation accelerated in transport (39.4% vs 27.5% in February), food (5.8% vs 4.6%), housing and utilities (35.3% vs 31.7%), clothing and footwear (14.4% vs 14.2%), miscellaneous goods and services (11.6% vs 10.9%), restaurants and hotels (12.8% vs 11.9%), furnishings and household equipment (11.1% vs 10.8%), and alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics (16.9% vs 15.7%). Meanwhile, price growth moderated in health (17.0% vs 17.8%) and recreation and culture (15.0% vs 15.1%), while inflation remained steady in communications (at 0.4%). Monthly, CPI rose 3.2% in March, after a 2.8% gain in February, marking the fastest monthly increase since February 2023.
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Egypt Inflation Rate at 7-Month High
Egypt’s annual urban inflation rate rose to 13.4% in February 2026 from 11.9% in the previous month, well above the market forecast of 12%. This marked the highest reading since July 2025, as prices increased at a faster pace for food and non-alcoholic beverages (4.6% vs 1.9% in January), housing and utilities (31.7% vs 29.8%), clothing and footwear (14.2% vs 14.1%), miscellaneous goods and services (10.9% vs 10.4%), and recreation and culture (15.1% vs 14.8%). At the same time, inflation remained steady for transport (27.5%), restaurants and hotels (11.9%), furnishings, household equipment, and routine maintenance (10.8%), and communications (0.4%). Meanwhile, costs eased for alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics (15.7% vs 18.7%) and health (17.8% vs 18.4%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 2.8% in February, accelerating from a 1.2% gain in January and marking the fastest monthly increase since February 2024.
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