Egypt spends 30 pct less on fuel subsidies in fiscal H1

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's fuel subsidy bill for the first half of the current fiscal year fell to 44.8 billion Egyptian pounds ($5.9 billion) from 64.5 billion a year earlier, the finance ministry said on Monday. The figures are for the six months to December 31, 2014, as Egypt's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. Egypt cut fuel subsidies last summer, raising prices of gasoline, diesel and natural gas by as much as 78 percent. ($1 = 7.63 Egyptian pounds)