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Egypt’s central bank maintained its main interest rates on August 20, preserving borrowing costs for the fourth consecutive policy meeting. The overnight deposit rate remained at 19%, and the overnight lending rate stayed at 20%. Both the main operation rate and discount rate were held at 19.5%. These levels have been unchanged since the February rate cut by the Central Bank of Egypt.

Japan’s Global Trade Hits New Highs as Imports Surpass Exports TOKYO, JAPAN / RankWire.AI / – In July 2026, Japan achieved record-breaking figures for both its imports and exports, driven by rising energy prices and robust demand for technology products. Imports surged 27.8% from the previous year to approximately 12.15 trillion yen, while exports increased by 23.2% to about 11.51 trillion yen. According to the Ministry of Finance, the country experienced a trade deficit of 634.5 billion yen as import growth outpaced overseas shipments for the month.

U.S. stocks gained as lower long-term Treasury yields eased pressure on major indexes. The session was largely driven by bond market activity following the U.S. Treasury Department’s announcement of increased liquidity support buybacks for longer-dated debt. Starting September 9, the maximum purchase size will be raised to at least $4 billion per operation from $2 billion. This increase applies to nominal coupon securities within the 10-to-20-year and 20-to-30-year maturity ranges. The department stated these larger purchases would continue through November 4, following strong volumes of high-quality offers. Following the announcement, Treasury yields declined as bond prices gained. The benchmark 10-year yield dropped to around 4.65%, and the 30-year yield fell to roughly 5.20%. The 30-year yield had previously climbed to 5.337% on Tuesday, reaching its highest level since 2007. The decrease in yields alleviated some of the pressure higher borrowing costs had exerted on equities, helping Wall Street recover from earlier losses this week.

Data indicated that spot gold fell 0.5 percent to trade at $4,326.75 per ounce, while United States gold futures for December delivery decreased almost 1.0 percent to $4,382.50 per ounce. Market retreats followed a sharp temporary surge on Thursday, when bullion prices reached their highest levels in over two months before dropping 1.3 percent amid sudden profit taking. Experts noted that while the long-term demand for safe-haven assets remains robust, short-term trading was dominated by portfolio adjustments. Analysts at Sucden Financial pointed out that although broader market trends still support gold’s outlook, the asset is heading for a weekly loss as investors unwind inflation-driven rally positions across short-term futures contracts.

Europe led major EV markets in July as global electric vehicle demand continued to grow. Among the world’s leading EV markets, Europe demonstrated the strongest expansion in July. Regional sales increased by 33% year-on-year to approximately 450,000 units. From January to July, EV sales in Europe grew by 28%. France experienced an 81% annual increase in July, Germany’s growth was 46%, and the UK saw a 43% rise. Despite the positive trends, European sales in July declined 17% compared to June, indicating a different trend on a month-to-month basis.

In July 2026, South Korea’s automobile exports surged 7.0% year-on-year to total US$6.24 billion, setting a new record for the month and surpassing the previous July high of US$5.90 billion in 2023. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported increases across exports, manufacturing, and domestic sales. Vehicle production grew by 11.3% to approximately 352,000 units, while local sales experienced a marginal rise of 0.5%, reaching 139,000 vehicles. Korean vehicle exports climbed in July as electric, hydrogen and hybrid shipments increased. A significant portion of the export growth was driven by eco-friendly vehicles. Their export value increased by 25.5% compared to the previous year, reaching US$2.59 billion. Exports of electric and hydrogen vehicles jumped 31.9% to US$940 million, while hybrid vehicle exports rose 22.2% to US$1.65 billion. Conversely, traditional internal combustion engine vehicle exports declined 3.1%, amounting to US$3.65 billion. Eco-friendly models made up about 41.5% of South Korea’s total automobile export value in July. North America continued to be the primary destination for Korean vehicles, with shipments increasing 18.0% to US$3.25 billion. Exports to the European Union also saw a 23.5% rise, totaling US$880 million. Shipments to

U.S. ultra-low sulfur diesel futures surged 7.4% on Monday to $4.19 a gallon, marking the largest single-day increase since July 13. By early Wednesday, the contract hovered near $4.28 a gallon. Meanwhile, European diesel refining margins stayed at historically high levels after gaining nearly 10% at the beginning of the week.

Gold extended its upward movement for a third straight session on Tuesday, building on last week’s rebound. Spot gold increased 1% to $4,432.74 an ounce by 0217 GMT, reaching its highest level since June 5. U.S. gold futures rose 1.7% to $4,492.60. This rally surpassed the seven-week high set last week and was driven by a recovery that gained momentum after weaker U.S. employment data.

Denmark’s annual inflation rate slowed to 1.7% in July from 1.9% the previous month, with consumer prices increasing by 1.3% compared to June. Core inflation remained steady at 2.3%, with price hikes in restaurants, hotels, and holiday home rentals influencing the index. Services continued to grow faster than goods, with prices for restaurants and hotels rising by 8.1% year-over-year. The harmonised consumer price index also showed a decline, increasing by 1.6% compared to July 2025.

Triodos Bank’s analysis indicates that extreme heatwaves and drought conditions across Europe might reduce the EU’s economic output by approximately 1% in 2026. This potential decline amounts to around €180 billion amid a year already characterized by sluggish growth. The European Commission had forecasted a 1.1% expansion for EU gross domestic product in 2026 in May, leaving little room between projected growth and the economic impacts of this summer’s severe weather events. Record summer heat is weighing on European productivity, agriculture, energy and transport. A significant portion of the projected economic damage stems from decreased productivity during extreme heat spells, accounting for roughly 0.6% of EU GDP. Agriculture faces notable setbacks, with output potentially dropping between 3% and 7% due to prolonged heat and dry conditions in key farming regions. Additionally, disruptions to energy generation, transport networks, and logistics contribute to the overall economic toll, as high temperatures and diminished water levels interfere with normal operations. France is expected to experience the largest national impact, with heat and drought potentially decreasing GDP growth by about 1.4 percentage points in 2026. This translates to an overall contraction of approximately 0.6%. Italy and Spain are also among the most vulnerable large economies, while Belgium is expected to see notable effects. The Netherlands may see a growth reduction of about 0.8 percentage points, with economic activity approaching stagnation for the year. This heat-related economic forecast coincides with Europe’s ongoing slowdown