Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting today with Islam Azzam, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), and Omar Radwan, Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), just days after the appointment of the new stock exchange head.

The Prime Minister underscored the government’s strong commitment to enhancing the stability and efficiency of the capital market, protecting participants in non-banking financial activities, and creating an environment that supports higher investment levels and broader private sector participation, both domestic and foreign.

He also highlighted the need to expand the range of financial instruments available in the market, while continuing joint efforts to upgrade digital infrastructure. These steps, he noted, would improve transparency and empower investors to make more informed decisions.

Madbouly pointed to the market’s recent positive performance, noting that average daily trading volumes have exceeded EGP12 billion, while the market capitalization has risen to more than EGP3.6 trillion, marking the highest level in the exchange’s history.

The Prime Minister further instructed officials to accelerate the completion of draft legislation governing capital markets, while also emphasizing the importance of fast-tracking the listing of state-owned companies under the government’s public offerings program to maximize returns from public assets.

For his part, Islam Azzam said the FRA is working to modernize regulatory frameworks in line with international best practices, with a focus on activating new financial products and instruments to promote financial inclusion and increase market liquidity.

He highlighted progress In launching the derivatives market, beginning with futures contracts on the EGX30 index, with plans to introduce options contracts in the near future. He also noted ongoing efforts to strengthen market-making activities and complete the implementation of short-selling mechanisms.

Azzam emphasized the importance of continued coordination with the stock exchange and intensifying public awareness campaigns on modern investment tools to boost investor confidence and deepen market activity, particularly as several companies approach final listing stages.

Meanwhile, Omar Radwan stated that the exchange has already begun introducing derivatives instruments, with plans to expand offerings to include contracts on individual stocks. He added that parallel efforts are underway to upgrade technological systems to ensure fair and transparent trading.

Looking ahead, Radwan noted that the exchange will focus on attracting major companies to enhance the market’s regional competitiveness, introduce new incentives, and strengthen institutional structures while improving operational efficiency.

The meeting also reviewed the government’s broader strategy to expand private sector participation, attract new listings, and complete the final registration procedures for companies currently listed on a temporary basis, within the framework of ongoing coordination between the FRA and the stock exchange.