Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to chart a course away from oil dependence and towards a more diversified economy is off to a flying start — with a blockbuster$17.5bn debut sovereign bond sale. The lure of investing in a large economy with little debt that has never before issued a dollar-denominated bond, piqued global interest. Investor orders reached $67bn, enabling Saudi to borrow more – and more cheaply – than initially suggested. As bankers pat themselves on the back and officials plan their next move, here’s what we learnt from Saudi Arabia’s first sale of international debt.