It does look like they have been selling a <i>lot</i> of assets to fund their current budget deficit:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.bloomberg.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;articles&#x2F;2015-09-28&#x2F;saudi-arabia-has-withdrawn-billions-from-markets-estimates-show" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.bloomberg.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;articles&#x2F;2015-09-28&#x2F;saudi-arab...</a><p>And they already seem to have started issuing bonds:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.wsj.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;saudi-arabia-issues-bonds-worth-5-billion-to-plug-budget-shortfall-1439305126" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.wsj.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;saudi-arabia-issues-bonds-worth-...</a><p>Maybe the Aramco thing is just part of this fire sale to try and prop everything up on the hope that, in the long term, a rise in oil prices will come to their rescue?