London, Feb 24, 2026, 08:26 GMT — Regular session
- NatWest fell 1.3% out of the gate, slipping to 602.4p from an opening print of 611.4p.
- The bank revealed it executed another round of buybacks on Feb. 23, part of its existing programme.
- Tariff-related volatility is on investors’ radar, along with upcoming shareholder and dividend milestones at NatWest.
NatWest Group slipped 1.3% to 602.4 pence during early Tuesday trading in London. Shares started the session at 611.4 pence before touching a low of 600.0.
Late Monday, the bank reported it repurchased 782,352 shares on Feb. 23, paying volume-weighted averages of 613.65 pence on the LSE, 614.83 pence on CHIX, and 614.93 pence on BATE.
Timing is key here: when volatility jumps, investors tend to dump bank stocks first. U.S. financials took a hit Monday—markets struggled with fresh tariff jitters, and concerns flared up again about growth and the cost to borrow.
NatWest said UBS carried out the buybacks, acting on instructions from Feb. 16. The bank plans to cancel those shares, trimming its share count over time. Once the settlement goes through, NatWest expects to keep 217,946,642 shares in treasury—shares it owns itself—while leaving 7,978,074,610 shares in issue, not counting the treasury stock.
Still, buybacks aren’t a guaranteed safety net for shares. Should the market shift back into defensive mode, banks may come under pressure—concerns over loan losses, sluggish deal activity, and abrupt changes in rate expectations can all drag on the sector.
After hiking its profit for the year and bumping up its longer-range goals earlier this month, NatWest has been doubling down on its image as a UK-focused lender, now touting a larger wealth business.
The company has struck a deal to acquire Evelyn Partners, a wealth manager, for £2.7 billion—a move aimed at expanding its fee-based revenue streams.
Traders are eyeing the lows to see if the stock holds steady there after the open. Another thing on the radar: daily disclosures—will buyback tape keep turning up?
NatWest shareholders are set for the AGM on April 28. As for the final dividend, it’s marked ex-dividend on March 19 and slated to be paid out May 5, the exchange diary shows.
