With the government edging closer towards launching its first ever sale of NatWest shares to the general public, retail investors will be weighing up the investment case for the high street bank. There are reasons for them to eye the lender, which was bailed out by taxpayers for £45.5 billion during the 2007-9 financial crisis, with caution.
It emerged on Sunday that ministers were laying the groundwork for a retail sale of the NatWest stock it owns as soon as June. Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, revealed in November that he was considering such a move.
As part of its preparations the government has enlisted a market research firm to assess the public’s attitudes towards the FTSE 100-listed lender. Ministers may well find that the
