Government cuts stake in British lender NatWest

  • U.K. Government reduces NatWest shareholding to 37.97%
  • His Majesty’s Treasury now interested in 13.37 billion shares
  • Government spent 45.5 billion pounds on the bailout
  • Government previously owned 84% of the bank
  • Government plans to sell down stake in NatWest through a retail share offer

NatWest Group announced that the U.K. Government has reduced its shareholding in the bank to 37.97% from 38.53%. His Majesty’s Treasury now holds an interest in 13.37 billion shares. The government’s stake in NatWest originated from the 2008 bailout of Royal Bank of Scotland, which later rebranded as NatWest in 2020. The bailout cost taxpayers 45.5 billion pounds and at one point, the government owned 84% of the bank. In an effort to further reduce its stake, the U.K. government plans to sell shares through a retail share offer in the coming year.

Public Companies: NatWest Group (N/A), Royal Bank of Scotland (N/A)
Private Companies:
Key People: Jeremy Hunt (U.K. finance chief)

Factuality Level: 8
Justification: The article provides factual information about the reduction of the U.K. Government’s shareholding in NatWest Group. It includes details about the number of shares and the history of the government’s stake in the bank. The article also mentions the government’s plan to sell down its stake through a retail share offer. There are no obvious digressions, misleading information, sensationalism, redundancy, or opinion masquerading as fact. The reporting appears to be accurate and objective.

Noise Level: 8
Justification: The article provides relevant information about the reduction of the U.K. government’s shareholding in NatWest Group. It includes details about the government’s stake resulting from the 2008 bailout and the plans to sell down the stake through a retail share offer. However, the article lacks in-depth analysis, scientific rigor, and actionable insights.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The article pertains to the financial market as it discusses the reduction of the U.K. government’s shareholding in NatWest Group.

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article does not mention any extreme events or their impact.

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com