Qatar’s sovereign fund sells major Sainsbury’s stake, ending 20-year ownership.

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, the QIA, is reducing its stake in Sainsbury’s from 10.48% to 6.82%, ending nearly two decades as the supermarket’s largest shareholder. The sale, worth £265.5 million, involves up to 98 million shares at 317.6 pence each, with JPMorgan leading the offering. The move follows a 23% rise in Sainsbury’s shares this year, despite the company’s strong performance and upgraded outlook, including a projected retail operating profit exceeding £1 billion for the year ending March 2026. The QIA, which first invested in 2007 and once held a 25% stake, has been gradually divesting since 2021. Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky now holds the largest stake. No reason was given for the sale.