HSBC Raises Stake in BoCom

HSBC Holdings PLC
02 November 2007


                  HSBC RAISES STAKE IN BANK OF COMMUNICATIONS
                                 TO 19 PER CENT

HSBC has raised its stake in the Bank of Communications (BoCom) to 19 per cent
from 18.6 per cent previously.

The increase came about through HSBC purchasing 130,511,000 BoCom H-shares at
HK$12.39 per share on 23 October and an additional 42,000,000 shares on 24
October at HK$13.03 per share.

HSBC is the largest international bank in mainland China by branch network. In
addition to its strategic stake in BoCom, it also has a 16.8 per cent stake in
Ping An Insurance, 8 per cent in Bank of Shanghai, 49 per cent in HSBC Jintrust,
an asset management joint venture with Shanxi Trust and Investment Corporation
Limited (Jintrust), and a 24.9 per cent stake in a joint venture insurance
broker, Beijing HSBC Insurance Brokers Limited. Hang Seng Bank, a principal
member of the HSBC Group, holds 12.78 per cent of Industrial Bank.

Note to editors

The HSBC Group
The HSBC Group is one of the largest banking and financial services
organisations in the world. The Group has around 10,000 offices in 83 countries
and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle
East and Africa, serves over 125 million customers and has assets of US$2,150
billion at 30 June 2007.

                                  





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