-Aman Singh

 HSBC Holdings plc is a public limited company

incorporated in England and Wales, headquartered
in London.
 As of 2008, it is both the world's largest banking
group and the world's largest company according to
a composite measure by Forbes magazine.
 The group was founded from The Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation, the acronym of
which led to the current name. Today, whilst Hong
Kong still continues to be a significant source of
income for the group, no single geographical area
dominates earnings. Recent acquisitions and
expansion in China are returning HSBC to part of its
roots.
 HSBC is Europe's biggest bank and has an
enormous operational base in Asia and significant
lending, investment, and insurance activities
around the world.
 HSBC is one of the oldest banking groups in the
modern world. After the establishment of Hong
Kong as a British colony in the aftermath of the
Opium War, a bank was needed to finance the
growing trade between China and Europe.
 Its main and foundation-laying subsidiary The
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
was established in Hong Kong and Shanghai in
1865.
 Before 1998 it was also known colloquially as
"Hongkong Bank" (by tradition "Hong Kong"
always spelled as one word).
 In 1990 HSBC wanted to change its domicile to UK
and hence purchased Midland Bank. Shares in
HSBC Holdings were first listed on the London Stock
Exchange and Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1991.
The acquisition of Midland Bank giving HSBC a
substantial presence in the UK was completed in
1992.
 Major acquisitions in South America started with the
purchase of Banco Bamerindus of Brazil for $1bn in
March 1997 and the acquisition of Roberts SA de
Inversiones of Argentina for $600m in May 1997.
 In May 1999 HSBC embarked on a major acquisition
in the United States with the purchase of Republic
National Bank of New York for $10.3bn.
 Expansion into Continental Europe took place in
April 2000 with the acquisition of Crédit Commercial
de France, a large French bank for £6.6bn.
 In July 2001 HSBC bought Demirbank, an
insolvent Turkish bank. Then in August 2002
HSBC acquired Grupo Financiero Bital, SA
de CV, Mexico's largest retail bank for
$1.1bn.
 The new headquarters of HSBC Holdings at
8 Canada Square, London officially opened
in April 2003.
 In November 2002 HSBC expanded in the
United States acquiring Household
International, a US credit card issuer for
£9bn.
 Then in September 2003 HSBC bought
Polski Kredyt Bank SA of Poland for $7.8bn.
 A terrorist attack took place in November 2003: a bomb blast
in Istanbul damaged the bank’s head office in Turkey, causing
several deaths and hundreds of injuries.
 In October 2003 HSBC bought the Bank of Bermuda for $1.3bn.
 In June 2004 HSBC expanded into China buying 19.9% of the
Bank of Communications of Shanghai. Most recently in China,
HSBC declined to repurchase its former corporate
headquarters on the Shanghai Bund from the Shanghai Pudong
Development Bank, which now occupies the magnificent,
restored building.
 In the United Kingdom HSBC acquired Marks & Spencer Retail
Financial Services Holdings Ltd for £763m in December 2004.
 Acquisitions in 2005 included Metris Inc, a US credit card issuer
for $1.6bn in August and 70.1% of Dar Es Salaam Investment
Bank of Iraq in October.
 In April 2006 HSBC bought the 90 branches in Argentina of
Banca Nazionale del Lavoro for $155m. Later that year, in July
HSBC bought Grupo Banistmo, the largest financial services
company in Central America, based in Panama for $1.8bn.
 In December 2007 HSBC acquired The Chinese Bank in Taiwan.
 In May 2008 HSBC acquired IL&FS Investment, an Indian retail
broking firm.
 The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation Limited IN 1959 HSBC
acquired The Mercantile Bank of India,
London and China, established in October
1853 in Bombay (now Mumbai). 1990.HSBC
is now one of the fastest growing foreign
banks in India, both in domestic banking
and support operations for worldwide
operations.
 This was originally adopted by The
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation as its logo in 1983. It was
developed from the bank’s house flag, a
white rectangle divided diagonally to
produce a red hourglass shape. Like many
other Hong Kong company flags that
originated in the 19th century, and because
of its founder's nationality, the design was
based on the cross of Saint Andrew. The
logo was designed by graphic artist Henry
Steiner.
 Having sponsored the Jaguar Racing Formula One team since the days of Stewart Grand Prix,
HSBC ended its relationship with the sport when Red Bull purchased Jaguar Racing from
Ford. HSBC has now switched its focus to golf, taking title sponsorship of events such as the
HSBC World Match Play Championship, HSBC Champions and HSBC Women's Champions.
 In football HSBC sponsors French club AS Monaco and Mexican club CF Pachuca, and in
rugby league, HSBC sponsors Telford Raiders in the Rugby League Conference. In Australia,
HSBC sponsors the New South Wales Waratahs rugby team in the Super 14 rugby union
competition, as well as the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League.
 In the United States, HSBC owns the naming rights to the home arena of the National
Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres until 2026.
 HSBC’s other sponsorships are mainly in the area of education, health and the environment.
In November 2006, HSBC announced a $5 million partnership with SOS Children as part of
Future First.
 HSBC sponsors the Great Canadian Geography Challenge, which has had around 2 million
participants in the past 12 years. Since 2001, HSBC has sponsored the Celebration of Light,
an annual musical fireworks competition in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In 2007
HSBC announced it would be a sponsor of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks
and Calgary Flames. HSBC has also sponsored a professional gaming team that was
disbanded late 2007.
 HSBC will sponsor the British and Irish Lions on the 2009 tour of South Africa.
 HSBC is the official banking partner of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, providing
banking facilities on site and renaming the Road to Wimbledon junior event, as The HSBC
Road to Wimbledon National 14 and Under Challenge.