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Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest [oily / oil] producer, has announced that it will [float / submerge] its shares on the Saudi Stock Exchange. The news has been much [anticipated / anticipation] by financial analysts around the world. The [flotation / flotilla] is causing a lot of excitement among [speculators / spectators] worldwide. Saudi Aramco will allocate [down / up] to 0.5 per cent of its shares to individual investors. Experts say it could be the largest IPO (Initial Public Offering) [of / in] history. Investors with deep pockets have between November 17 and December 4 to [slap / snap] up shares in the world's most profitable company. The company is valued at up to $2.3 trillion. In [comparison / comparative] , its rival, the US oil giant Exxon Mobil, has a valuation of a [mere / mare] $300 billion.

Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser [told / advised] the CNBC news agency last week that the company's IPO will help [directly / diversify] Saudi Arabia's economy. Further share offerings may [take / give] place later on stock exchanges in Hong Kong, London, New York and Tokyo. Saudi Arabia is heavily [rely / reliant] on oil and needs to [seek / sleek] alternative areas of growth. The IPO is part of an [ambitiously / ambitious] plan to reform the kingdom's economy called "Saudi Vision 2030". This is the [brainteaser / brainchild] of Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He hopes his initiative will [opportune / revitalize] many aspects of the economy and society. The Crown Prince is [spearheading / sparring] the development of a [grange / range] of non-oil industries, like healthcare, mining and tourism.