How to buy NatWest (NWG) shares

By   |   Verified by Andrew Boyd   |   Updated 9 Nov 2023

NatWest (LON: NWG) is a major retail and commercial bank. It is one of the Big Four clearing banks and operates the Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland.

In addition to banking services, NatWest provides insurance, mortgages, savings products, and loans.

Ready to buy? Read on for a step-by-step guide to buying shares in NatWest.

Unsure about what share dealer to use?

Where to buy NatWest shares

eToro

On website

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk

eToro

Highlights

  • Trade and invest in top financial instruments, including a wide selection of stocks.
  • eToro is regulated by CySec, FCA and ASIC
  • Your funds are protected by industry-leading security protocols.
Hargreaves Lansdown

On website

Hargreaves Lansdown

Highlights

  • Offers easy-to-use trading platforms.
  • Invest across 20 international exchanges in shares, funds, bonds and investment trusts.
  • Dealing charges depend on how many trades you make each month.
Lightyear

On website

When you invest, your capital is at risk.

Lightyear

Highlights

  • Invest in over 3,000 international ETFs and stocks in the EU, UK, US, and more.
  • Simple and easy-to-understand pricing. Per order, Lightyear will charge 0.1% (up to $1 max) on US shares, £1 on UK shares, and €1 on EU shares.
  • Earn interest* on uninvested cash, USD (4.50%), EUR (3.25%), GBP (4.5%), and HUF (8.25%)  p.a. gross.
  • No account-keeping fees.


*The interest rates are true as of 12.06.2023
* Finty will be paid a referral fee, including financial promotion if you open an account and deposit funds through some of the links on this page.


Pros

  • No withdrawal fees.
  • US Fractional Shares are available.
  • A low 0.35% foreign exchange fee.

Cons

  • Limited investment products.
Saxo Markets

On website

Saxo Markets

Highlights

  • It only takes five minutes to open your account online.
  • Get ultra-competitive spreads and commissions across all asset classes.
  • Get news, commentary and actionable trade ideas from their team of expert analysts.
Wombat Invest

On website

Wombat Invest

Highlights

  • Simple and straightforward investing app.
  • Allows you to invest in ETFs (Standard ISA or GIA) and Fractional Shares (GIA only).
  • Get a savings account and unlock 4.91 %AER (variable) paid daily.
  • Open an Individual Savings Account and invest up to £20,000 each year.



Disclaimer: When you invest, your capital is at risk.

Pepperstone

On website

80.9% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs

Pepperstone

Highlights

  • Trade gold, silver, oil, and more.
  • Enjoy industry-leading low spreads from 0.0 pips.
  • Regulated by ASIC, BaFin, CMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, and SCB.
Freetrade

On website

Freetrade

Highlights

  • With fractional shares, you can start investing from only £2.
  • Choose from thousands of stocks from the London Stock Exchange, NYSE and NASDAQ.
  • Access to a wide range of ETFs and Investment trusts.

Compare online share dealing accounts on Finty. Research fees, commissions, tradable assets, markets, etc.

First time buying?

How to buy NatWest shares

Step 1: Open a share broker account

NatWest is listed on the London Stock Exchange. If you want to buy shares in the company, you'll need a broker with access to the LSE.

When evaluating your options, consider a broker's commission and foreign exchange fee, minimum deposit amount, as well as market access, tradable instruments (shares, funds, commodities, crypto, etc.), and whether they support fractional shares.

Demo accounts are available with some brokers, giving you an option to try them out before depositing funds.

Step 2: Fund your account

Before you can buy any shares with your trading account, you must have cleared funds available. Brokers generally all accept bank transfers and debit cards. Credit cards or PayPal may be accepted by some brokers.

Keep in mind that it may take some time before funds clear and you can trade with them.

Step 3: Set your investment budget

If you're thinking about investing in shares, be sure you're aware of the risks involved. Only invest what you can afford.

Step 4: Choose between shares or an ETF

ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) are a sort of diversified investment with exposure to a variety of companies. Generally, an ETF will have a theme, such as only investing in companies listed on the same stock exchange or operating in the same industry. Being diversified across multiple companies and managed by professionals, an ETF is widely considered a less risky way of investing.

ETFs with exposure to NatWest include Dimensional International Value ETF (DFIV) and Avantis International Equity ETF (AVDE).

Step 5: Set up an order

A market order means your order will be fulfilled at the next available price. However, because there might be a substantial delay between placing an order and having it filled, it's advisable to utilise a limit order if you have a specific timeframe in mind.

If you have a target price in mind, most brokers will let you configure an order to automatically buy or sell once the price target has been hit. Alternatively, you may be able to set up a recurring order to buy shares periodically.

Step 6: Buy

With your order configured, submit it to buy your shares in NatWest.

After you buy

What moves NatWest's share price

Keep up to date with industry news, financial reports, and press releases from NatWest since these can move their price.

It is also worth doing the same for their main competitors: Lloyds Bank (LON: LLOY), Barclays (LON: BARC), and HSBC (LON: HSBA).

More recently, incumbent banking brands have been dealing with fierce competition from fintechs like Revolut and Starling Bank. These smaller and more nimble businesses have been taking market share in important demographics, posing a long-term threat to the Big Four.

Demand for banking services has a significant impact on the price of retail banking shares. Changes in regulations, such as those introduced after the Great Recession of 2007, and the overall state of the economy are factors that can weigh on their share price.

Disclaimer: We put our customer’s needs first. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer’s alone and do not constitute financial advice. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. However, Finty and/or the writer may have a financial interest in the companies mentioned. Finty is committed to providing factual, honest, and accurate information that is compliant with governing laws and regulations. Do your own due diligence and seek professional advice before deciding to invest in one of the products mentioned. For more information, see Finty’s editorial guidelines and terms and conditions.