Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC) (2.9/5)
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HSBC Holdings plc is a public limited company incorporated in England and Wales in 1990, and headquartered in London since 1993. As of 2009, it is both the world’s largest banking group and the world’s 6th largest company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine. The group was founded from The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation based in Hong Kong, the acronym of which led to the current name. Today, whilst no single geographical area dominates the group’s earnings, Hong Kong still continues to be a significant source of its income. Recent acquisitions and expansion in China are returning HSBC to part of its roots. HSBC has an enormous operational base in Asia and significant lending, investment, and insurance activities around the world. The company has a global reach and financial fundamentals matched by few other banking or financial multinationals.
The antecedents of the HSBC Group in India can be traced back to October 1853 when the Mercantile Bank of India, London and China was founded in Bombay (now Mumbai). Starting with an authorised capital of Rs 5 million, the Mercantile Bank soon opened offices in London, Madras(Chennai), Colombo and Kandy, followed by Calcutta(Kolkata), Singapore, Hong Kong, Canton(Guangchow) and Shanghai by 1855. The following hundred years were in many ways propitious for the Mercantile Bank. In 1950 it moved into its new head office building in Mumbai.at Flora Fountain.
The acquisition in 1959 by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited of the Mercantile Bank was a decisive factor in laying the foundation for today’s HSBC Group. Founded in 1865 to serve the needs of the merchants of the China coast and finance the growing trade between China, Europe and the United States, HSBC has been an international bank from its earliest days.
After the Mercantile Bank was acquired by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Flora Fountain building became and remains to this day, the Head Office of the HSBC Group in India.
Through the 1990s, HSBC has vigorously developed its role as one of the leading banking and financial services organisations in the world. Its strategy of ‘managing for value’ emphasises the Group’s unique balance of business and earnings between older, mature economies and faster-growing emerging markets.
HSBC in India is proud to have retained the Group’s pioneering streak by being an active partner in the development of the Indian banking industry – even giving India its first ATM way back in 1987. The organisation’s adaptability, resilience and commitment to its customers have further enabled it to survive through turbulent times and prosper through good times over the past 150 years.
HSBC is listed on the London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris and Bermuda Stock Exchanges, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index and the Hang Seng Index.
HSBC Holdings was established in 1990 and became the parent company to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in preparation for its purchase of Midland Bank and a change of domicile for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. Shares in HSBC Holdings, which gave HSBC a substantial presence in the UK, was completed in 1992. HSBC then moved the headquarters of HSBC Holdings from 1 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong to 10 Lower Thames Street, London in 1993.
Role in subprime crisis
In November 2002 HSBC expanded in the United States, spending £9bn (US$15.5bn) to acquire Household Finance Corporation (HFC), a US credit card issuer and subprime lender. In a 2003 cover story, The Banker noted “when banking historians look back, they may conclude that [it] was the deal of the first decade of the 21st century”. Under the new name of HSBC Finance, the division was the second largest subprime lender in the US.
The business indeed turned sour, costing HSBC some US$62bn. In March 2009, HSBC announced that it would shut down the branch network of its HSBC Finance arm in the U.S., leading to nearly 6,000 job losses, and leaving only the credit card business to continue operating.
Although it was at the centre of the subprime storm, the wider group has weathered the economic crisis better than other global banks. According to Bloomberg, “HSBC is one of world’s strongest banks by some measures.” When HM Treasury required all UK banks to increase their capital in October 2007, the group transferred £750 million to London within hours, and announced that it had just lent £4 billion to other UK banks. In March 2009, it announced that it had made US$9.3bn of profit in 2008 and announced a £12.5bn (US$17.7bn; HK$138bn) rights issue to enable it to buy other banks that were struggling to survive. However, uncertainty over the rights’ issue’s implications for institutional investors caused volatility in the Hong Kong stock market: on 9 March 2009 HSBC’s share price fell 24.14%, with 12 million shares sold in the last few seconds of trading.
Customer groups
HSBC splits its business into four distinct groups:
Personal financial services
HSBC provides more than 100 million customers worldwide with a full range of personal financial services, including current and savings accounts, mortgage loans, car financing, insurance, credit cards, loans, pensions and investments.
Commercial banking
HSBC provides financial services to small, medium-sized and middle-market enterprises. The group has almost 2.5 million of such customers, including sole proprietors, partnerships, clubs and associations, incorporated businesses and publicly quoted companies.
Global banking and markets
This customer group provides tailored financial services to corporate and institutional clients. Business lines comprise Global Banking, Global Markets, Global Asset Management, Global Research and Principal Investments.
This division was previously known as Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets.
Private banking
HSBC Private Bank is the marketing name for the private banking business conducted by the principal private banking subsidiaries of the HSBC Group worldwide. HSBC Private Bank, together with HSBC Guyerzeller and the private banking activities of HSBC Trinkaus, known collectively as Group Private Banking, provides services to high net worth individuals and their families through 93 locations in some 42 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. As of December 2007, profits before tax were US$1,511 million and combined client assets under management were US$494 billion.
In September 2008, HSBC announced that it would combine its two Swiss private banks under one brand name in 2009, with HSBC Guyerzeller and HSBC Private Bank to be merged into one legal entity.
Corporate Office:
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India
52/60, Mahatma Gandhi Road,
Mumbai – 400 001.
India
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i have good knowledge and i want to improve the management and so many skills`
Review on Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC) by abhinav — July 11, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
I am an account holder of HSBC, Chennai. Please provide the email and the facsimile number of Mr. Rajnish Bahl, Country Head, Personal Financial Services.
Regards,
Rajagopal Narayanan
Mobile +61 – 417 313 505
Review on Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC) by Rajagopal Narayanan — March 3, 2010 @ 6:45 am