Blackstone waves off concerns over Saudi funding | Reuters

Blackstone waves off concerns over Saudi funding | Reuters:

Blackstone Group LP (BX.N), the U.S. buyout firm which is relying on Saudi Arabia to provide half the money for its planned $40 billion infrastructure fund, waved off concerns about funding on Thursday even as controversy rages over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist that has frayed relations between Wall Street and the oil-rich kingdom.

Blackstone Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman pulled out this week from a planned investment conference in Saudi Arabia, following other Wall Street and media leaders, over the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist critical of Riyadh’s policies, who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

 Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi was murdered at the consulate and his body chopped up and removed. Saudi Arabia has denied involvement in the disappearance, and U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he needed to see evidence of any role by Riyadh.