London, Jan 25, 2026, 08:41 GMT — Market closed
- NatWest shares head into Monday following a soft close for UK bank stocks on Friday.
- Filings revealed a major shareholder reduced their stake while NatWest continued its stock buybacks.
- Deal chatter has resurfaced, while the results date looms again on the radar.
NatWest Group shares (NWG.L) slipped 1.04% to 646.6 pence on Friday, weighed down by a weaker close among UK banks. Barclays and HSBC lost roughly 1%, with Lloyds dipping 0.25%, according to market data.
London markets were closed Sunday, shifting focus to the paper moves: a major shareholder cutting back and the bank snapping up shares. Both moves carry weight for NatWest as the market eyes the upcoming annual results season.
Sentiment turned cautious as the session wound down. The FTSE 100 slipped 0.07% on Friday, snapping a three-week run of gains, with banks dragging the index lower, Reuters noted. Gold held firm as the “preferred portfolio hedge amid ongoing geopolitical risk,” according to Laura Cooper, senior macro strategist at Nuveen. Reuters
A regulatory filing revealed Norges Bank trimmed its voting stake in NatWest to 2.886470% from 3.063360%. The adjustment, dated Jan. 22 and reported to the bank on Jan. 23, corresponded to 922,968,844 voting rights, the document showed.
NatWest revealed it bought back 821,613 shares on Jan. 23, paying between 645.20 pence and 657.40 pence per share, with a volume-weighted average price of 649.75 pence. The repurchase occurred on the London Stock Exchange. The bank confirmed it plans to cancel these shares, reducing the overall share count.
Deal chatter is simmering. Financial News says NatWest has put forward a £2.2 billion bid for wealth manager Evelyn Partners, trailing Barclays’ £2.4 billion offer. Royal Bank of Canada is reportedly in the mix as well.
Shareholders are left wondering if buybacks will maintain their current pace and what the bank plans for capital return beyond dividends. Traders will be tuned in for any changes in the outlook on net interest margin — the difference between earnings on loans and costs on deposits — as well as early indicators of credit losses stabilizing.
Bank shares can shift quickly when rate expectations change or geopolitical tensions keep investors cautious. Pushing further into wealth management might seem appealing, but it revives an old UK-bank concern: while fees look good upfront, integration costs often hit down the line.
NatWest is gearing up to release its annual results on Friday, Feb. 13, with figures scheduled for 0700 GMT and a management presentation set for later that morning. Monday’s trading will reveal if UK bank shares can stabilize after slipping on Friday.
