Britain cuts stake in NatWest via £1.24 billion share sale

The British government has sold 1.24 billion pounds ($1.58 billion) worth of shares in NatWest Group back to the lender, it said on Friday, decreasing its stake to about 22.5% from nearly 26% previously.

The London-listed bank bought back 392.4 million shares from the government in an off-market purchase at 316.2 pence a share, as part of its existing contract with the state.

Shares in NatWest were up 0.8% at 318.7 pence in early trading. They have gained about 45% this year.

Britain, which had proposed a retail offer in NatWest before a general election was called for July 4, said last week it was "working through internal due process" when asked to clarify the possible impact of the election on the planned retail offer.

The heavily anticipated stock sale is a key milestone in the bank's full privatization.

The government's stake in the former Royal Bank of Scotland, which was bailed out in 2008 at the height of the global financial crisis, was once as high as 84%.

By March this year, it was no longer a controlling shareholder in the lender after its stake dipped below 30% after the sale of stock to institutional investors.

The state's plan, which involves selling shares in the market and runs until August 2025, had not been paused in connection with the off-market purchase, the government said on Friday.

The settlement of the off-market purchase will occur on June 4, the government said in a statement.

Last month, NatWest reported first-quarter profit that fell by a less than expected 27%, having weathered a sector-wide squeeze on income.