logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2018
32m 9s

Saudi Arabia's IPO Drama

bloomberg
About this episode

A little over two years ago, Saudi Arabia revealed plans to IPO part of its huge state-owned national oil company. The listing would have been the largest in history and a centerpiece of the Kingdom's efforts to reduce its reliance on oil income and open its economy to the wider world. But in recent weeks, there've been reports that the IPO has been put on ice. So what does this mean for Saudi Arabia's future?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Oct 9
How AI Is Upending the World of Mathematics
Last month, OpenAI announced that it had produced an AI-generated proof for the Navier-Stokes problem, one of the most famous unsolved questions in mathematics. LLMs used to be bad at counting, but now they are solving math problems that have stumped humans for decades. Meanwhile ... Show More
1 h
Oct 8
What Everyone Gets Wrong About the Economic Problems in Europe
In so many conversations, there's a widespread view that Europe is falling behind. Or it's in trouble. It has been two years since the publication of the Draghi report and the problems the report identified about European competitiveness are far from solved: Demographic challenge ... Show More
52m 39s
Oct 5
Why Treasuries Are 'Risky' Again
We all know that US Treasury yields have been surging, alongside bond yields all around the world. So what explains the selloff and does this mean that bonds are becoming fundamentally riskier? What happens if investors can no longer hedge stocks with government debt? And how do ... Show More
50m 39s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2019
Lulu tries to become Nike — How Saudi Aramco makes $90B in profits/year — Away’s drama arrives
Oil legend Saudi Aramco is the most valuable company in the world and it just IPO’d, but how does it make money? Luggage brandicorn Away went through a week worse than your worst travel trip, so we’re looking at what actually went wrong. And Lululemon reported earnings, but we’re ... Show More
17m 49s
May 2015
Saudi Arabia's political reorganization and its impact on global oil markets
Is it the end of an era in Saudi Arabia? Platts associate editorial director for oil news Mriganka Jaipuriyar and senior editor Tamsin Carlisle look at how recent political developments in Saudi and the separation of Saudi Aramco from the Ministry of Petroleum could affect intern ... Show More
5m 50s
Sep 2019
Shake-up at the heart of the Saudi oil industry
Saudi Arabia has removed energy minister Khalid al-Falih, one of the most powerful figures in the global oil industry, and replaced him with a member of the royal family, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. Katie Martin discusses the significance of the shake-up and how it relates to th ... Show More
16m 3s
Nov 2022
82 - Saudi Arabia: A Global Economic Powderkeg
Saudi Arabia is experiencing numerous simultaneous challenges at the moment, ranging from royal infighting, a rearming Yemen, a diverging population, and a growing threat from Iran. Tasked with guiding the Saudis through this storm is MBS, a leader whose track record leaves a bit ... Show More
1h 39m
Sep 2023
IPO temperature check
Recession concerns, the war in Ukraine and more have prevented companies from going public for a while. Those risks, while not gone, are now old news. Could it be the perfect time for chip company Arm to launch its initial public offering? It could shock the IPO market out of a s ... Show More
7m 32s
Dec 2021
7. The truth behind Saudi’s eco-city
Saudi Arabia, one of the world's biggest oil producers, says it’s pivoting to green energy. It has a host of big projects and initiatives. But will reality live up to the country’s rhetoric? And why do some activists say they’ve become victims of the government’s grand plans?We’v ... Show More
22m 55s
May 2025
OPEC+
Saudi Arabia is signalling it can live with lower oil prices. But will the kingdom’s push to get OPEC allies in line backfire? Host Carmel Crimmins talks to Ron Bousso, energy columnist at Reuters, about the risks of a price war. Plus, everything you wanted to know about contango ... Show More
23m 52s
May 2024
Rights & Riyals: Is Saudi Arabia A UK Trade Success Story?
The UK government wants to tell a positive economic story about trade. The problem is Saudi Arabia, a country investing billions in Britain, has been given a "deplorable human rights record" by groups like Human Rights Watch. Our Saudi Arabia bureau chief Christine Burke explains ... Show More
13m 10s
Mar 2025
Pokemon Go, but PIF-backed Scopely wants more; Tesla in Saudi; Masdar's IPO Talks
Headlines: - Saudi PIF-backed Scopely is Eyeing Acquisition of More Hit Titles- Tesla to Launch in Saudi Arabia on April 10- UAE Renewables Giant Masdar’s IPO Speculation - Entrepreneur Challenges ‘Slow Period’ Myth   
21m 55s