Egypt’s non-oil private sector experienced a renewed contraction in September, as business conditions worsened following a sharp decline in output and new orders.
According to the latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data, the headline index dropped to 47.2, falling back below the crucial 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction after reaching a seven-month high of 49.6 in August.
The downturn was primarily driven by subdued client demand and mounting inflationary pressures that hindered commercial operations across manufacturing, services, construction, and retail sectors.
Companies reported accelerated input costs and challenging market conditions, which forced firms to scale back output and pause expansion plans, highlighting ongoing economic hurdles for non-oil businesses in the country.
