The Government’s stake in NatWest has fallen below 11 per cent for the first time since the bank was bailed out by taxpayers during the financial crisis.
The lender yesterday bought back 27.8m shares from the Government, worth around £109m, which reduced the public’s ownership from 11.34 per cent to 10.99 per cent.
It comes after Labour abandoned the Tory plan to offload its remaining stake in NatWest in a public share sale.
Earlier this month the bank bought back 263m shares at 380.8p per share, totalling £1billion.
Back on track: In 2008 the Government was forced to inject £45.5billion into the stricken lender during the height of the financial crisis
In 2008 the Government was forced to inject £45.5billion into the stricken lender during the height of the financial crisis. It ended up holding an 84 per cent stake.
As recently as 2018 it still owned 62 per cent of the lender but has been steadily unwinding its stake in the bank.
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