This news is out of date, they don't plan to sell shares in the parent company; only shares in its downstream subsidiaries.

They clarified this a couple days after the submitted article was published. http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-aramco-ipo-excusive-i...

I haven't heard much talk about this in the media, but has anyone noticed that Saudi's latest bout of hostilities towards Iran, active military role, and oil glut all began around the time King Abdullah died and this new fellow was crowned? At the time the media was universally saying that there would be no change in the status quo, but it seems to me that the status quo has very much changed.

It's been awhile since I studied middle eastern politics but isn't the consensus still that once the KSA oil money runs out (which could be a long time if oil prices rebound), there is a good chance of violent revolution?

What is more important is KSA where the house of Saud has bought the loyalties of its Populace with Welfare and subsidies is ending its Welfare binge and that is a problem for them.