Paraguay Acquisition

HSBC Holdings PLC
22 February 2006



                HSBC TO ACQUIRE LLOYDS TSB'S ASSETS IN PARAGUAY

HSBC Latin America Holdings (UK) Limited (HLAH), a wholly owned subsidiary of
HSBC Holdings plc, has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all 
of Lloyds TSB's branch assets in Paraguay for a consideration of approximately
US$15 million.

Lloyds TSB has been in Paraguay for 85 years where it operates six branches,
serving some 22,000 clients. Total assets amounted to US$180 million at 
31 December 2005.

As part of the transaction, Lloyds TSB has agreed to incorporate a new company
into which the assets and liabilities of the branches will be transferred. This
will then be sold to HLAH. Completion of the transaction, which is subject to
final regulatory approval in Paraguay, is due to take place in the second
quarter of this year.

The consideration will be paid at completion of the transaction.

Youssef Nasr, HSBC Holdings plc Managing Director for South America, said: 
"We are pleased to acquire the prestigious Lloyds banking operation in Paraguay 
and to welcome Lloyds's customers to HSBC. This transaction gives HSBC a 
presence throughout Mercosur^, an exciting and growing economic association and 
enables us to better serve the needs of our regional and international 
customers, particularly in the areas of credit, trade, payments and treasury."

Footnote:

^The Mercosur is a trading bloc composed of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and 
Uruguay.  It was created in March 1991.

Notes to editors:

The HSBC Group
HSBC Latin American Holdings (UK) Limited is a member of the HSBC Group which,
with over 9,700 offices in 77 countries and territories and assets of US$1,467
billion at 30 June 2005, is one of the largest banking and financial services
organisations in the world, with a well established presence in Europe, the
Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.





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