Lucid’s Arabian Nights

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Lucid Group (LCID 1.87%). The name itself suggests illumination, a promise of clarity in the murky world of electric vehicles. One begins to suspect, however, that the light emanates not from innovation, but from the deep pockets of a kingdom. The year 2026 is spoken of as a potential turning point, a moment when Lucid might actually sell vehicles in quantities exceeding the dreams of its marketing department. A quaint notion, really.

This week, the stock has performed a curious little dance, surging 12% according to those diligent number-crunchers at S&P Global Market Intelligence. One might be tempted to attribute this to genuine enthusiasm for the company’s prospects. But such optimism is a rare bloom in the financial winter. No, there’s a more…substantial reason.

Can Saudi Arabia Save Lucid?

Ah, Saudi Arabia. The Public Investment Fund, or PIF, arrived early on the scene, showering Lucid with funds like a benevolent desert rain. They now own roughly 60% of the company. A controlling interest, wouldn’t you say? It wasn’t intended as a mere investment, naturally. Such passivity is for accountants, not visionaries. One suspects the PIF views Lucid less as a business and more as…a particularly expensive hobby.

The vehicles themselves are assembled in Arizona, a land of sunshine and sensible regulations. But a significant portion is shipped to Saudi Arabia for final assembly. A curious logistical arrangement, reminiscent of a medieval trade route. One imagines camels being replaced by container ships, but the principle remains the same.

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This week’s rally, it seems, was sparked by a partnership with Rockwell Automation. A giant in the world of industrial automation, Rockwell will be assisting Lucid in expanding its manufacturing facility in the Kingdom. Enterprise software solutions, they call it. A rather sterile term for the complex machinery that will now oversee the production of these…automobiles. One pictures armies of robots, diligently assembling cars for a clientele accustomed to a certain level of…discretion.

Cantor Fitzgerald, after a meeting with representatives of the PIF, has declared that the fund remains committed to Lucid. Analyst Andres Shepherd, a man paid to find optimism in the face of overwhelming evidence, reports “more optimism.” A comforting phrase, isn’t it? It’s like saying the patient is “comfortable” just before they expire. But for investors, it was enough. They piled into Lucid shares, eager to participate in this… Arabian Nights-esque spectacle.

One can’t help but wonder, however, if this is a genuine revival or merely a temporary reprieve. A fleeting illusion before the inevitable descent into…well, let’s not dwell on that just yet. The desert wind, after all, can shift direction at any moment.

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2026-01-23 20:52