CAIRO: Egypt’s inflation dropped sharply in December, the latest apparent indication of economic improvement after the 2016 currency float hit Egyptians hard.

Economists say, however, it may just be showing that spending power has yet to recover.

Prices climbed to record highs and the Egyptian pound lost half its value after the central bank floated it in November 2016 in a bid to secure a $12 billion International Monetary Fund loan to boost economic growth after years of turmoil.

With the pound at about 17.7 to the US dollar from a pegged 8.8 before the float, Egyptians have had to amend their spending habits to deal with their incomes and savings being slashed in half.

Urban consumer inflation eased to 21.9 per cent in December from 26pc the previous month, its lowest reading since the flotation, official data showed earlier this week. Core inflation, stripping out volatile items such as food, fell to 19.86pc from 25.53pc.

Since the float, Egyptian exports have found new markets, narrowing the country’s trade deficit, and foreign reserves and foreign direct investment have surged to record highs.

But economists say the inflation drop is the result of a strong base effect, and not necessarily a meaningful economic recovery.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2018