The Line is once again on the radar, with the Financial Times diving deep into the megaproject’s scale and cost challenges. Neom’s 170 km-long mirrored megacity reportedly met a slew of practical, financial, and environmental hurdles that weighed down its development, the salmon-colored paper cited interviews with former employees. Plans have reportedly been drastically scaled back, with the 2030 first phase reduced to three modules from the 20 originally planned, and key components, like the international airport, delayed or halted.

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ALSO- The group of smaller companies braving the muted Saudi IPO market has drawn Bloomberg’s attention. Cherry Trading and Almasar Alshamil Education are moving forward with listings despite a subdued and cautious equity market, while Consolidated Grünenfelder Saady Holding (CGS) and Alramz Real Estate are in the pipeline. Success of the listings will hinge on pricing discipline as investor focus has shifted from “first-day pops” to long-term fundamentals, with most Saudi IPOs this year trading below their offer prices.

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