Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco has delayed the launch of its mega IPO for the second time in two years and investors are starting to tire of continued speculation and no hard numbers on valuation.

Equity investors expect there will be an IPO of Saudi Aramco this year as long as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), and the Saudi government, go ahead with the deal at a valuation below his $2tr aim. But some are concerned the Saudi's will push ahead with whatever value they deem the company is worth, regardless of initial feedback.

Dar Al-Arkan, a Saudi Arabia-based real estate developer, raised $600m on Wednesday with a February 2025 sukuk, defying market volatility to offer little in the way of new issue premium.

Dar Al-Arkan, a real estate development company headquartered in Saudi Arabia, is in the market for a five year sukuk benchmark.

Dar Al-Arkan Real Estate Development Company has mandated eight banks to arrange a long five year Reg S benchmark sukuk and is starting the roadshow for the deal on Thursday.

Fitch lowered Saudi Arabia’s credit rating on Monday, following the September 14 attack on Saudi Aramco’s oil infrastructure.

Challenges are rife across the banking industry in the Gulf. As banks struggle to keep up with technological innovation and the growth of foreign competition, domestic players told GlobalCapital what needs to be done to combat these existential threats.

Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia, is confident that its exceptional financial position will allow its IPO to withstand geopolitical shocks such as the drone attack on the company’s oil facilities last Saturday, write Sam Kerr, Mariam Meskin and Francesca Young.

Last weekend’s attack on Saudi oil facilities drove up the oil price and caused a rush to safe haven assets, but investors say they expect the turbulence to be short-lived.

It isn't often that equity investors are asked to buy assets subjected to physical attack. The drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities on Saturday could lead to Aramco demanding a big discount on any upcoming listing. The IPO market has suffered its fair share of geopolitical tumult of late, but this long and keenly anticipated deal could wind up being the riskiest of them all.

Sources close to the listing of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil producer, have confirmed that they are working flat out to bring the Saudi company to market before the end of the year, despite attacks on its oil fields over the weekend.

Multilateral development bank Arab Petroleum Investments Corp (Apicorp) is eyeing up the bond market for a potential benchmark issue, while a green euro bond may also be on the cards for the Saudi-headquartered bank, according to Sherif Ayoub, chief financial officer.