New Delhi, Feb. 6 -- Boeing Co. equities rose on Friday following reports that Saudi Arabia's premier airline Saudia is in preliminary discussions for a landmark aircraft contract with the American jet manufacturer and Airbus SE.

Saudia is in early-stage talks with the two aviation giants to acquire at least 150 single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft, as reported by Bloomberg.

The carrier is evaluating various designs from both the planemakers and has not yet finalized specific models or totals, the Bloomberg report stated, citing sources acquainted with the discussions.

The additional jets would serve to modernize part of the airline's existing 200-aircraft fleet while also expanding its capacity, Bloomberg noted.

In 2023, the 80-year-...