As was first reported in early 2016, for the past two years Saudi Arabia had been preparing to place up to 5% of its national oil company, Saudi Aramco, on the stock market. Officials talked up the Aramco initial public offering with international exchanges, global banks and President Donald Trump.

The planned listing was supposed to be the cornerstone of the kingdom's promised economic overhaul and, at a targeted $100 billion, the biggest IPO ever. More importantly, it was the brainchild of 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, heir apparent of the world's largest oil exporter and the effective head of OPEC.

However, after months of setbacks, the deal came to a crashing halt after the international and domestic legs of the IPO were pulled earlier this month.