SABB 2005 Interim Dividend

HSBC Holdings PLC
14 June 2005



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


               THE SAUDI BRITISH BANK DISTRIBUTES SAR526 MILLION
                 AS INTERIM DIVIDEND FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2005

The Chairman of The Saudi British Bank (SABB), Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed
Al-Hugail, has announced that the bank's Board of Directors has approved the
distribution of a net interim dividend of SAR10 per share (after deduction of
Zakat). This will result in a total gross interim dividend payment of SAR526
million before deduction of Zakat, representing an increase of 11.8 per cent
over the same period last year.

Dividends will be credited on Saturday, 16 July 2005 to the accounts of
shareholders on the bank's share registry on Thursday, 7 July 2005, who maintain
accounts with SABB and whose details are available at the share registry.

Shareholders maintaining accounts with other local banks, and who have provided
details to the share registry, will have dividends transferred to those
accounts. As per Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) instructions,
shareholders who have not provided the share registry with updated details and
ID numbers should contact the share registry or their nearest SABB branch with
appropriate identification to update their details before Wednesday, 6 July
2005.

Al-Hugail commented that the Board's decision to approve the dividend 
distribution was confirmation of the bank's aim to consistently reward its
shareholders.

Note to editors:

The HSBC Group
The Saudi British Bank is a 40 per cent, indirectly-held associate of HSBC
Holdings plc, and a member of the HSBC Group. Serving over 110 million customers
worldwide, the HSBC Group has over 9,800 offices in 77 countries and territories
in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.
With assets of US$1,277 billion at 31 December 2004, 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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