Media reports say the initial public offering has been postponed indefinitely. But the Saudi government has disputed this. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih says the government is committed to conducting the IPO, at the 'appropriate circumstances and time'.
The plan to float around five percent of the oil company was expected to be the world's largest stock sale; and it lies at the heart of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's vision to transform the economy.
So, where does this leave Saudi Arabia's efforts to raise money and diversify its economy?
Presenter: Richelle Carey | Guests: Mahjoub Zweiri - Professor in Contemporary History of the Middle East at Qatar University; Mohammed Cherkaoui - Professor of Conflict Resolution at George Mason University; James Dorsey - Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University