Government 'lost £180m' on Royal Mail privatisation

clock • 1 min read

The government's privatisation of the Royal Mail was underpriced by £180m, a report commissioned by Business Secretary Vince Cable has suggested.

The report, written by former City minister Lord Myners, said shares could have been valued up to 30p more than the flotation price of 330p because of the high level of demand from banks and individuals, according to the BBC. It recommended future government share sales should be more transparent and the pricing set at a later stage. The report undercut previous suggestions by MPs that taxpayers lost up to £1bn in the 2013 privatisation. The probe was ordered by Cable after a National Audit Office review into the privatisation of Royal Mail said too much emphasis was put on rushing...

To continue reading this article...

Join Investment Week for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, analysis and opinion from the investment industry, including the Sustainable Hub covering fund news from the ESG space
  • Get ahead of regulatory and technological changes affecting fund management
  • Important and breaking news stories selected by the editors delivered straight to your inbox each day
  • Weekly members-only newsletter with exclusive opinion pieces from leading industry experts
  • Be the first to hear about our extensive events schedule and awards programmes

Join now

 

Already an Investment Week
member?

Login

More on Investment

Partner Insight:  Bonds look as attractive as ever. Being nimble will be key

Partner Insight: Bonds look as attractive as ever. Being nimble will be key

Aegon Asset Management
clock 13 November 2024 • 2 min read
Partner Insight: Niches - Searching for roads less travelled

Partner Insight: Niches - Searching for roads less travelled

In this article, Richard Perrott from the MSIM’s International Equity Team, explains the team’s approach to finding potential investment opportunities within unexpected areas.

Richard Perrott, Executive Director International Equity Team @ MSIM
clock 12 November 2024 • 4 min read
Partner Insight: Deciphering liquidity - Understanding the mechanics of new funds investing in private markets.

Partner Insight: Deciphering liquidity - Understanding the mechanics of new funds investing in private markets.

As more private investors choose to allocate to private markets, Peter Sankey, Product Manager, Private Assets at Schroders sheds light on how the liquidity mechanisms of new fund structures work

Peter Sankey, Product Manager, Private Assets at Schroders
clock 12 November 2024 • 4 min read
Trustpilot