Trading Journal for Egyptian Traders

Egypt’s capital markets have seen remarkable growth over the past decade. The Egyptian Exchange (EGX) hosts over 200 listed companies with a market capitalization exceeding $40 billion, and retail participation has surged as more Egyptians turn to equities and forex to hedge against inflation and currency depreciation. For Egyptian traders navigating EGP volatility, stamp duty costs, and a unique Sunday-Thursday trading week, a structured trading journal is not a luxury — it is essential for survival and consistent profitability.

Popular Brokers in Egypt

Broker	Key Feature	Import Support
EFG Hermes	Largest regional broker, strong research	CSV Import
Mubasher Trade	Popular online platform, real-time data	CSV Import
Beltone Financial	Full-service brokerage, institutional access	Manual Entry
Arabeya Online	Low commissions, web-based trading	CSV Import
Pepperstone	International forex and CFDs	CSV Import

The Egyptian brokerage landscape is dominated by local firms for EGX equities, with EFG Hermes and Mubasher Trade commanding the largest share of retail volume. For forex and international markets, Egyptian traders increasingly use global brokers like Pepperstone that accept EGP deposits. Regardless of which broker you use, JournalPlus lets you consolidate all trades into a single journal through CSV import or manual entry.

Tax Rules for Traders in Egypt

Egypt imposes a 10% capital gains tax on profits from trading securities listed on the EGX. This applies to both resident and non-resident investors, though implementation has been phased in gradually since its reintroduction in 2023. Traders should note that losses can be carried forward to offset gains within the same tax year.

Every transaction on the EGX also incurs a stamp duty of 0.125% on both the buy and sell side, meaning a round-trip trade costs 0.25% in stamp duty alone. For active traders executing dozens of trades per week, this adds up to a material drag on returns. Dividend income is taxed separately at 10%, withheld at source.

The Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) requires annual tax filings that include investment income. Maintaining a detailed trading journal with entry prices, exit prices, fees, and stamp duty paid simplifies this process significantly. JournalPlus generates exportable trade logs that can serve as supporting documentation for your tax filing, reducing the risk of errors or disputes with the ETA.

Trading Hours & Markets

The Egyptian Exchange operates on a Sunday-through-Thursday schedule, with the main trading session running from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM Cairo time (Eastern European Time, UTC+2). This schedule means Egyptian equity traders have Fridays and Saturdays off — the opposite of Western markets.

For traders active in both EGX equities and international markets, this creates interesting overlap opportunities. The EGX morning session coincides with European market opens, allowing traders to monitor correlations between Egyptian and European stocks. Forex markets, accessible 24 hours from Sunday evening to Friday evening Cairo time, give Egyptian traders continuous access to currency pairs including USD/EGP, EUR/EGP, and major pairs like EUR/USD.

The most actively traded instruments among Egyptian retail traders include EGX 30 blue-chip stocks like Commercial International Bank (COMI) and Eastern Company (EAST), the EGX 70 mid-cap index, USD/EGP forex, and gold. Many traders also access international CFDs through offshore brokers.

Challenges for Egyptian Traders

EGP Currency Volatility

The Egyptian pound has undergone multiple devaluations, losing significant value against the US dollar since 2022. For traders holding positions in both EGP-denominated equities and USD-based instruments, calculating real portfolio performance requires constant currency adjustment. Without proper tracking, a profitable EGX trade might actually represent a loss in real purchasing power.

Sunday-Thursday Trading Week

Egypt’s trading week misaligns with the Monday-Friday schedule used by most global markets, brokers, and trading tools. Weekly performance reviews, habit tracking, and session analysis all break when your tools assume a Western calendar. This forces Egyptian traders to adapt generic tools or lose analytical accuracy.

Stamp Duty Tracking

The 0.125% stamp duty on every buy and sell transaction is a hidden cost that many traders underestimate. A trader executing 20 round-trip trades per week at an average position size of EGP 50,000 pays roughly EGP 5,000 per week in stamp duty alone. Without tracking this cost per trade, profitability calculations become misleading.

Limited Broker Data Export

While international brokers offer robust API integrations and data exports, many Egyptian brokers still rely on PDF statements or basic trade confirmations. Extracting structured trade data for analysis often requires manual entry, which is tedious and error-prone — especially for high-frequency traders.

How JournalPlus Helps Egyptian Traders

Multi-Currency P&L in EGP — JournalPlus tracks your trades in their native currency and converts everything to EGP for a unified view. When you trade USD/EGP forex alongside EGX equities, your dashboard shows true performance in the currency that matters to your daily life. This is critical in a market where currency fluctuations impact real returns.

Custom Trading Calendar — Your analytics respect the Sunday-Thursday trading week. Daily streaks, weekly summaries, and session performance all align with actual EGX sessions, not a Western calendar that treats your trading days as mid-week anomalies.

Fee & Tax Tracking — Log stamp duty as a per-trade cost and watch it accumulate in your analytics. JournalPlus calculates net P&L after all fees, so you always know your true profitability. Come tax season, export your complete trade history with fees itemized for the ETA.

Manual & CSV Import — Whether your broker offers CSV exports or only paper statements, JournalPlus accommodates both. The flexible CSV importer maps to any column format, and manual entry takes seconds per trade. Traders in similar markets like Saudi Arabia face comparable import challenges and benefit from the same flexibility.

Cross-Market Analysis — Journal EGX equities, forex pairs, gold, and international CFDs in a single workspace. Filter by instrument type, market, or time period to identify where your edge truly lies. Compare your EGX day trading results against your forex swing trades to allocate capital more effectively.

FAQ

What is the best trading journal for Egyptian traders?

JournalPlus is purpose-built for traders who need multi-currency support, flexible imports, and analytics that adapt to non-standard trading calendars. At $159 one-time with lifetime access, it eliminates recurring subscription costs that eat into trading profits — particularly important for traders managing EGP-denominated accounts.

How are trading profits taxed in Egypt?

Capital gains on EGX securities are taxed at 10%, and a 0.125% stamp duty applies to every buy and sell transaction. Dividends face a separate 10% withholding tax. The Egyptian Tax Authority requires annual filing of all investment income, making accurate trade records essential.

Can I track forex and EGX trades in one journal?

JournalPlus supports multiple asset classes in a single journal. You can log EGX equities, USD/EGP forex trades, gold positions, and international CFDs, then analyze each market segment independently or as a combined portfolio.

What hours does the Egyptian Exchange trade?

The EGX is open Sunday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM Cairo time (EET). It closes on Fridays and Saturdays. Forex markets remain accessible around the clock from Sunday evening through Friday evening, giving Egyptian traders continuous access to currency markets.

Does JournalPlus support Egyptian brokers?

JournalPlus works with any broker through its flexible CSV import and manual entry options. Whether you trade with EFG Hermes, Mubasher Trade, Arabeya Online, or an international forex broker, you can import or log your trades and maintain a complete trading journal.