UK Fully Divests Its NatWest Stake, 17 Years After Bailout

NatWest Group Plc returned to full private ownership on Friday, nearly seventeen years after the UK government was forced to rescue the lender in the depths of the financial crisis.

The government once owned as much as 84.4% of NatWest but has been rapidly selling down its holding in recent months as shares in the lender rallied along with those of other UK banks.

After the final stake was sold on Friday, the government confirmed it has lost about £10.5 billion on the £45.5 billion bailout of the lender formerly known as Royal Bank of Scotland. It’s the final element ...