RIYADH: The Egyptian pound is approaching a critical threshold of 50 per US dollar, as indicated by recent figures from the Central Bank, which currently value the pound at 49.16 per dollar. This development follows recent increases in subway fares and fuel prices. Throughout June and July, the pound fluctuated between 47 and 48 to the dollar, after a dramatic depreciation in March when it had lost roughly 60 percent of its value, dropping to about 30 pounds per dollar.