Middle East & Africa Reg Desk

Wednesday, 2026-08-19 · covering the last 24h

Gulf

No material new items from Saudi CMA/Tadawul, UAE SCA/DFSA/FSRA/DFM/ADX, Qatar QFMA/QSE or Kuwait CMA/Boursa Kuwait in the last 24 hours. DFSA's Consultation Paper 173 (DIFC funds regime) remains open, closing 7 September. Gulf central banks (SAMA, CBUAE, QCB, CBK) took no action, consistent with the dollar peg and no Fed rate move this window.

Israel

Bank of Israel shifts its next rate decision to 1 September. Governor Amir Yaron said the upcoming Monetary Committee meeting — moved one day from its previously flagged 31 August date, reportedly to avoid a clash with the Jackson Hole symposium — is "live." The Committee's last move, on 6 July, cut the rate 25bp to 3.50%. No material items from the Israel Securities Authority or TASE. Bank of Israel press releases

Africa

Egypt's FRA issues the full short-selling regulatory framework for EGX. Resolution No. 155 of 2026, signed by FRA chairman Dr. Islam Azzam, establishes a Central Lending System run by MCDR to register available securities, quantities and lending terms; investors must post cash collateral of at least 50% of the borrowed securities' market value. The FRA retains power to exclude specific securities, adjust margin/discount rates, and suspend or revoke broker and client short-selling privileges. The resolution takes effect the day after gazette publication; no trading start date has been set. This supersedes the earlier "final system testing" status and is the clearest signal yet that launch is imminent. Daily News Egypt (FRA resolution text not independently reachable this run)

Egypt's CBE holds its next rate decision tomorrow, 20 August — nothing decided yet. No material new items from South Africa's FSCA/JSE or Kenya's CMA/NSE in the last 24 hours; Nigeria's NGX pricing-methodology relaunch, postponed 16 August, still has no new effective date.

Informational only — summaries of public regulatory and central bank sources; not advice.