Elon Musk's SpaceX valued at nearly $1.8tn ahead of record share sale

SpaceX has said shares should sell to the public for at least $135 (£100) when it becomes a publicly traded company on Friday, in what is expected to be the highest-value stock listing in history.

The estimated price is the same as the space exploration and artificial intelligence (AI) company set a week ago , lifting the firm's valuation to nearly $1.8tn.

SpaceX is aiming to raise $75bn through its initial public offering (IPO).

Should shares sell at the suggested price, or more, depending on market supply and demand, SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk - already the richest man in the world - will be the world's first trillionaire.

If the company's shares sell at or above $135 when trading opens on Friday, SpaceX will immediately become one of the most valuable companies in the world.

However, it is up to investors to decide if they think the shares are worth that much.

Interest in acquiring a stake in SpaceX among investment funds and individuals, often referred to as "retail investors," is increasingly expected to be high .

Certain financial analysts have already set target prices for the shares above SpaceX's $135 estimate, including the global brokerage Oppenheimer which said on Thursday it expects the company to hit $190 a share.