HSBC Bank Middle East has entered into an agreement to merge its Oman branch with Oman International Bank (OIB), in a deal which will see HSBC hold 51% of the combined entity and retain management and board control.
HSBC says it is in talks to sell off operations in Pakistan and Korea as it continues with plans to scale back in territories which are not deemed profitable or have become underperforming retail operations.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and 17 former directors, including former CEO Fred Goodwin, have been hit with a £2.4bn legal claim from a group of investors.
Britain's leading banks are facing allegations of mis-selling complex interest rate protection products to hundreds of small businesses.
Russian equities currently represent the largest overweight position in the Luxembourg-domiciled HSBC GIF BRIC Equity Fund and in other broader HSBC emerging market portfolios.
Martin Weale voiced fears over "persistent" inflation yesterday in a hawkish speech underlining the growing splits at the Bank of England over the path of monetary policy.