POPULAR SHARES

Our guide to the stocks that matter

ROYAL Bank of Scotland was one of the biggest corporate casualties of the financial crisis, and a decade on it’s still only just emerging from a mammoth repair job.

The Natwest owner has spent billions of pounds restructuring, and paying fines for misdemeanours in the heady days of over-expansion before 2008.

Things are a lot more sober now. The taxpayer-backed bank has been simplified and has even started paying a dividend again.

It’s still trading at around half the price the Government needs to break even on its £45bn bailout, though.

That’s because low interest rates are denting bank profits. Brexit is a clear danger to a bank which is heavily plugged into the domestic economy.

The fact the Government still owns over 60pc is also holding back the stock price, because the market is expecting this to be sold down in coming years.

Labour plans to nationalise RBS and break it up don’t exactly make for calming mood music for shareholders.

RBS is in a lot better shape than it was, but it’s still a stock for adventurous investors with a tolerance for risk.