Egypt, Economy | featured news

Egypt prepared to announce on Tuesday the result of a vote on a new constitution that Islamist President Mohamed Mursi hails as a step toward stability in a country beset by political and economic crisis.

The housewives and breadwinners stepping out of a Cairo supermarket with bags of groceries agreed on one thing. “The prices are very high,” said Sabah Fehmi, 58. “The economy has been very bad after the revolution.”

World Bank President Robert Zoellick on Tuesday unveiled $6 billion in funding to help Tunisia and Egypt address budget and reserve shortfalls this year and next, following popular uprisings that ended years of dictatorships but which have caused economic stress.

The United States is studying ways to support Egypt's economy following Hosni Mubarak's overthrow, the U.S. embassy said on Monday after a U.S. newspaper said Washington had decided to provide $1 billion in debt relief.

The president says Egypt is sending 'the right signals' regarding developing democratic systems and is optimistic on U.S. domestic economic issues.