CAIRO: The Egyptian pound was unchanged from a day earlier at a central bank currency sale but slightly weaker on the black market on Thursday. The central bank has burned through at least $20 billion - roughly half its reserves - supporting the currency since Egypt's 2011 uprising scared off tourists and foreign investors.

It sold $38.6 million to banks with a cut-off price of 6.9517 pounds to the dollar on Thursday, the same as at Wednesday's auction. The bank had offered to sell up to $40 million.

On the black market, a trader said the dollar was offered at 7.36 pounds on Wednesday compared with 7.35 on Wednesday.

The central bank introduced dollar currency sales a year ago. On Monday it held a $1.5 billion exceptional auction, its largest ever, to restock the market with much needed dollars and fight the unofficial currency market.