Finance

NatWest Buys £1 Billion of Shares as UK Offloads Stake

  • CEO says it is a milestone on path to full privatization
  • British bank also selling five-year debt to raise £500 million

A NatWest Group bank branch in London.

Photographer: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg
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NatWest Group Plc bought back £1 billion ($1.29 billion) of its shares from the UK government as the Treasury continues to sell down its stake in the lender.

The off-market purchase of 262.6 million shares brought the Treasury’s voting rights in the lender to about 11.4% from about 14.2% previously, according to a statement.