SABB 2003 Interim Dividend

HSBC Holdings PLC
30 June 2003


The following news release was issued today by The Saudi British Bank, a 40 per
cent indirectly-held associate of HSBC Holdings plc.

                             THE SAUDI BRITISH BANK

          DISTRIBUTES SAR374 MILLION AS GROSS INTERIM DIVIDEND - 2003

The Board of The Saudi British Bank (SABB) has announced the distribution of a
net interim dividend of SAR9 per share after deduction of Zakat. This will
result in a total gross interim dividend pay out of SAR374 million.

Dividend cheques will be issued on Wednesday, 6 August 2003 to shareholders
registered on the bank's records on Monday, 21 July 2003. This represents an
increase of 12.5 per cent over the same period last year.

The dividend amount will be credited to accounts of shareholders who have
instructed SABB to do so. Other shareholders who maintain accounts with SABB and
wish to have their dividend amount credited to them, should provide the share
registry with their account details. Dividend cheques will be sent by mail to
all other shareholders with full addresses listed in the shareholders' registry.


                      This information is provided by RNS
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