Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Thursday it would be "nice" to see Saudi Aramco floated on the stock exchange next year, but he added the timing was not critical to the Saudi government.

Speaking in Vienna, Falih said Saudi Arabia's Tadawul bourse would be Aramco's primary listing, with an international secondary listing to be determined to some extent by where the market for its products is, which is "shifting to the east".