Dispatch From Cairo & Your Guests Today

Today kicks off our special "Opportunity in the Middle East" special series.

I'll be live in Cairo all day, speaking with executives from leading American companies and discussing the big business opportunities in Egypt and around the Middle East.    There are hundreds of millions of still-untapped consumers in the region.   Egypt alone has as many people as California, Texas and Florida combined.   And while there remains an incredible level of poverty here in Cairo, there is also a growing middle class that is hungry for American stores and products.

Speaking with locals, it's clear there remains an affection for America and a renewed sense of optimism about the political relationship.    Even removing politics, it is apparent that many American companies are ready and willing to do business in the Middle East and Egypt in particular.  It was surprising to see the level of advertising for American products.   Not just the global big ones such as Coke, Pepsi and McDonalds, but even smaller companies like Vans shoes (part of VF Corp), Gold's Gym, Guess? jeans and more.    Those companies - particularly the clothing companies - are taking advantage of laws that have only changed in the last few years that allow the sale of mass-marketed western items.

How optimistic are some on the Egyptian consumer?    The owner of the largest mall in the Middle East - Cairo's City Stars Center - is planning to build five more American style malls in the country, at a cost of nearly $US 1 billion per mall.   The 600+ store City Stars complex sold out shortly after opening.   Many American mall owners would love to see that in this economic environment.    There is also Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites at the mall, another sign of the desire for western-style products and services.

We'll talk more about this all day today.    Here is your guest lineup on FOX Business:

2:15pm ET  - GM Egypt CEO (gaining market share despite GM's overall woes)

3:15pm ET - Microsoft Egypt CEO (CEO Steve Ballmer was just here, and they recently opened a new research and development center)

4:15pm ET - Interview with operator of the largest mall in the Middle East (amazing how western it looks and how many American stores and restaurants like TGI Fridays and Ruby Tuesday are there)

5:15pm ET - Apache Oil & Gas co-COO (they are largest foreign investor in Egypt and have a booming natural gas business here)

5:45pm ET - CEO of Lukfin Industries (mid-cap Texas based oil pumping gear manufacturer that is selling more and more material in the region)

6:15pm ET - Hewlett-Packard Egypt General Manager (more people with internet access means more demand for HP products)

6:45pm ET - InterContinental Hotels Emerging Market President Kirk Kinsell (why Holiday Inn is a hot brand in the region)

7:30 ET - General Mills International chief Chris O'Leary (apparently Betty Crocker is a sweet talker in the Middle East, too)

Meantime - you might enjoy this quick video I took of Cairo crowds and traffic.   I used to think New York traffic was bad....not anymore.   We've learned that if you need to go 10 miles, give yourself at least an hour.

Crowds in Cairo