Egyptian inflation rises to 6.6%

Egypt's annual urban consumer price inflation increased to 6.6 per cent in September from 5.7 per cent in August, data from the country's statistics agency CAPMAS showed on Sunday.

The rate remains well within the target range of between 5 per cent and 9 per cent set by the central bank, which meets on Oct. 28 to decide interest rates.

"Monthly inflation is higher than we had anticipated. It's mainly explained by the jump in vegetable and meat prices. The food index is up 3.5 per cent month on month," said Allen Sandeep of Naeem Brokerage.

The central bank held rates steady at its last meeting on Sept. 16, saying that global financial conditions continued to be "accommodative". Egypt's fuel pricing committee also raised domestic prices in a quarterly review on Friday.

Core inflation, which strips out volatile items such as food, rose to 4.8 per cent year on year in September, from 4.5 per cent a month prior.