Re: non-core card portfolios

HSBC Holdings PLC
30 October 2007


                     HSBC SELLS NON-CORE UK CARD PORTFOLIOS

HSBC Bank plc has sold its marbles and Beneficial branded credit card portfolios 
in the UK to SAV Credit Limited, for a consideration of approximately
£385 million. The portfolios consist of 338,000 accounts.

Steve Britain, Head of Consumer Cards, HSBC Bank plc said: "We are fortunate to
have a number of strong brands with which to grow our cards business in the UK.
These include HSBC and first direct and, through our relationships with major
retailers, M&S and John Lewis. The marbles and Beneficial brands are not a core
part of this strategy, and accordingly, we are pleased to have sold the portfolios 
to SAV."

HSBC is one of the top five largest card issuers in the world with US$79 billion
in receivables and over 120 million cards in force in approximately 40 countries
as at 30 June 2007. HSBC is one of the UK's top four card issuers, with over 10
million cards in issue and receivables of £8 billion.

Note to editors:
HSBC Bank plc
HSBC serves 15.6 million customers in the UK and employs more than 40,000 UK
staff. HSBC is Britain's most recommended big bank. HSBC Bank plc is a wholly
owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, and a member of the HSBC Group. HSBC
Holdings plc serves over 125 million customers worldwide through some 10,000
offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the
Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of some US$2,150 billion at 30
June 2007, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services
organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.

                      






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