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RIYADH: Egypt’s headline consumer price index recorded 243.5 points in January, reflecting an annual inflation rate of 23.2 percent, down slightly from 23.4 percent in December, according to official data.

Figures from the nation’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics show that Egypt’s inflation slowdown was primarily driven by a 2.6 percent decline in vegetable prices from December to January, alongside a 0.3 percent decrease in fish and seafood prices.

Meanwhile, costs remained stable across key sectors such as education, health services, and telecommunications.

However, according to the report, some essential commodities saw notable price hikes. Bread and cereal prices rose 1.3 percent, while meat and poultry prices surged 5.0 percent.

Dairy, cheese, and eggs recorded a modest increase of 0.3 percent, and oils and fats edged up by 0.7 percent. 

The sharpest price spike was in fruits, which jumped by 9.8 percent. These price increases were key contributors to the 1.6 percent monthly inflation in January, compared to a flat reading in December.

Other sectors also experienced price increases. Personal care products rose by 1.5 percent, hospital services by 1.4 percent and furnishings and household appliances by 0.6 percent, as well as electricity, gas, and fuel by 0.1 percent, and hotel services by 3.3 percent.

Compared to January, several categories recorded substantial annual increases, the report showed.

Food and beverages rose by 20.2 percent, tobacco and alcoholic drinks by 29.5 percent, housing, utilities, and fuel by 18.7 percent, healthcare services by 40.5 percent, and transport by 33.6 percent, while education costs remained unchanged.

The steepest annual jumps were seen in postal services, which were up 94.3 percent, cultural and recreational services by 48 percent, and transport services by 39 percent.

Despite a slight moderation in annual inflation, elevated food and transport costs remain a key challenge for Egyptian households and businesses.

The rising prices of essential goods, including staples such as wheat and cooking oil, continue to strain consumer purchasing power.

Analysts expect inflationary pressures to persist in the near term, driven by a combination of currency fluctuations, global commodity price trends, and domestic supply chain constraints.

The Egyptian pound has witnessed notable depreciation, contributing to the higher cost of imports, particularly for food and energy.

In response, the Egyptian government has introduced measures such as subsidies and price controls on essential goods to contain inflation and support vulnerable segments of the population.

Efforts include increasing government-backed distribution of basic commodities and negotiating import deals to secure food supplies at stable prices.

However, structural economic reforms, including subsidy cuts and fiscal consolidation efforts under Egypt’s broader economic program, may counterbalance these interventions.

With ongoing economic reforms and external pressures, inflation trends will remain a closely monitored factor in Egypt’s economic trajectory.

Policymakers are likely to adjust monetary and fiscal measures as needed to balance growth with price stability, particularly as the country navigates global economic uncertainties and financing challenges.

The central bank’s stance on interest rates will also play a crucial role in managing inflation expectations in the coming months.

RIYADH: Advanced technologies and innovative solutions were in focus at LEAP 2025, showcasing ideas that could shape industries and the future. 

Among the key presentations was the Saudi Accelerated Innovation Lab, which introduced Aramco’s Robotics Assistant, or SARA. 

SAIL, launched during LEAP 2024 by Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser, also houses AramcoMetaBrain, a proprietary generative artificial intelligence model designed to enhance operational efficiency. 

SARA, an AI-powered voice assistant, was introduced by Ibrahim Al-Sowayigh, innovation and commercialization leader at SAIL. He highlighted its potential to meet the highest cybersecurity and operational standards. 

“In enterprises and highly regulated environments, there was one persistent problem: trust. That’s why one of the very first business opportunities we were introduced to was securing a device that can be trusted to connect to our internal Aramco network and comply with best-in-class cybersecurity requirements,” Al-Sowayigh said. 

“We needed a device that is secure, industrial-grade, with intuitive-personalized interactions. That’s when we decided to build, not buy, and SARA — our very own industrial Gen-AI tabletop voice assistant — was born.” 

AramcoMetaBrain powers SARA, enabling it to process vast amounts of industry-specific data, interpret complex queries, and provide highly contextualized responses. The model is trained in Aramco’s proprietary operational language, equipping it to navigate the company’s guidelines and processes. 

SARA is poised for commercialization through Aramco Digital, offering enterprises a secure, integrated AI solution. 

“SARA ensures that queries and data are processed and protected on-premise, giving organizations full control over their information while benefiting from cutting-edge AI capabilities,” Al-Sowayigh said.

“This makes SARA the ideal digital companion for industries requiring the highest levels of data security and operational efficiency.” 

Smart contact lens 

Tech innovation at LEAP 2025 extended beyond AI, with XPANCEO, a Dubai-based computing firm, unveiling a smart contact lens that aims to revolutionize vision enhancement and health monitoring. 

The lens offers a full-screen, full-color augmented reality experience while functioning as a miniature laboratory for the eye. Integrated neuro-interfacing jet electrodes enable enhanced vision, including night vision and zoom capabilities. 

“This is not actually science fiction, but rather what I will try to show you today. So this is already a rapidly developing reality,” said Valentyn Volkov, scientific partner at XPANCEO. 

The smart lenses, set for development in three phases, will initially improve vision in low-light conditions. The second iteration will incorporate health-tracking features such as stress levels, blood sugar, body temperature, and dry eyes. The final version aims to display visual content directly on the lenses, delivering a seamless augmented reality experience. 

Despite progress, technological and biological challenges remain, as developers seek to miniaturize smartphone capabilities into a contact lens while ensuring biological compatibility. 

A prototype was showcased at LEAP, with XPANCEO targeting a market release by the end of 2026. 

Wearable technology 

Dutch designer Anouk Wipprecht brought a futuristic vision to LEAP 2025 with her collection of robotic dresses that merge fashion and engineering. 

Her designs include a heartbeat-monitoring dress featuring a central crystal that blinks in sync with the wearer’s pulse. Another highlight, the Spider Dress, incorporates animatronic mechanical limbs and 3D-printed sensors to monitor and protect the wearer’s personal space. 

Using proximity and respiration sensors, the dress responds to external stimuli, adjusting its movements accordingly. Wipprecht noted that such designs are practical for crowded urban environments like New York, where wearers can use them to maintain personal space. 

LEAP 2025 continues to showcase innovations that challenge the status quo, reinforcing Riyadh’s position as a global hub for technological advancement.