Natwest buys back 1bn in shares from Treasury as government stake drops to 11%

NatWest's recent buyback of £1 billion in shares from the UK Treasury reduces the government's stake to over 11%, marking a significant step toward full privatisation.

CEO Paul Thwaite emphasized that this buyback is an important milestone, reflecting the bank's progress in reducing government ownership since the 2008 bailout.

Once owning a massive 84% after the financial crisis, the state has been methodically decreasing its stake in NatWest, driven by a clear strategy to fully privatise.

The cancelled public share sale was intended to reduce the government's stake further but was deemed potentially costly to taxpayers, showcasing the complexities of bank privatisation.

Read at Business Matters