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UK Government Sells Final NatWest Shares at £10.5bn Loss

Having recouped £35bn of the £45.5bn rescue, the Treasury has cleared the way for full private ownership to fuel NatWest’s next phase of market expansion.

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Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown took the decision to bail out Royal Bank of Scotland in 2008

Overview

  • The government sold its remaining 0.26% stake in NatWest, concluding a divestment that began after the 2008 financial rescue.
  • Treasury data show a £10.5bn net cost to taxpayers after recovering £35bn through share sales, dividends and fees.
  • NatWest reduced its balance sheet from about £2.2tn in 2008 to £708bn, exited global investment banking and returned to profit in 2018.
  • The bank strengthened its retail footprint with Sainsbury’s Bank operations and a Metro Bank mortgage portfolio, and its share price climbed to a 15-year high in April.
  • Full privatization ends government oversight and positions NatWest to pursue strategic growth and attract new international investors.