Holding(s) in Company

HSBC Holdings PLC
10 December 2004



NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

Section 198 - Companies Act 1985

The Company was notified today by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. that, as at
8 December 2004, The Capital Group Companies, Inc. no longer has a notifiable
interest in the share capital of HSBC Holdings plc.

A copy of the letter of notification is quoted below.

P A Stafford

Assistant Group Secretary

HSBC Holdings plc





"Date: 8 December 2004

                            SECTION 198 NOTIFICATION

                            Notification of Decrease

This Notice is given by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. on behalf of its
affiliates, including Capital Research and Management Company, Capital
International S.A., Capital International, Inc., Capital International Limited,
and Capital Guardian Trust Company, pursuant to Section 198 of the Companies Act
1985.

The interest in the relevant share capital indicated below arises by virtue of
holdings attributed to the Companies (see Schedule A). These holdings form part
of funds managed on behalf of investment clients by the Companies.

Share capital to which this relates:


        Ordinary Shares (11,171,117,000 shares outstanding)

Number of shares in which the Companies have an interest:

        334,972,249

Name(s) of registered holder(s):

        See Schedule B"




Schedule A

                                      Number of        Percent of     
                                      Shares           Outstanding    
  The Capital Group Companies, Inc.      334,972,249           2.999% 
  ("CG") holdings                                                     
  Holdings by CG Management Companies 
  and Funds:                      
  Capital Guardian Trust Company          48,228,635           0.432% 
  Capital International Limited           31,840,710           0.285% 
  Capital International S.A.               7,596,630           0.068% 
  Capital International, Inc.             14,310,717           0.128% 
  Capital Research and Management        232,995,557           2.086% 
  Company                                                             


  Schedule B                                                          
  Registered Name     Local Shares                                    
  Capital Guardian                                                    
  Trust Company                                                       
  State Street                                              6,260,923 
  Nominees Limited                                                    
  Bank of New York                                          2,261,541 
  Nominees                                                            
  Northern Trust                                              218,245 
  Chase Nominees                                           19,993,707 
  Limited                                                             
  BT Globenet                                                 694,400 
  Nominees Ltd.                                                       
  Midland Bank plc                                          5,406,284 
  Cede & Co                                                 1,897,790 
  Deutsche Bank                                                 2,400 
  Mannheim                                                            
  Bankers Trust                                             1,757,300 
  Barclays Bank                                               296,400 
  Citibank London                                              15,100 
  Royal Trust                                                  17,900 
  Nortrust Nominees                                         5,832,301 
  Royal Bank of                                                68,300 
  Scotland                                                            
  MSS Nominees                                                 63,400 
  Limited                                                             
  State Street Bank                                            64,411 
  & Trust Co.                                                         
  Citibank                                                     16,800 
  RBSTB Nominees                                                3,200 
  Ltd.                                                                
  Citibank NA                                                  42,100 
  Deutsche Bank AG                                              4,800 
  HSBC Bank plc                                                13,286 
  Mellon Bank N.A.                                            146,400 
  ROY Nominees                                                137,900 
  Limited                                                             
  Mellon Nominees                                           1,457,799 
  (UK) Limited                                                        
  HSBC                                                         31,838 
  JP Morgan Chase                                           1,524,110 
  Bank                                                                
              Total                                        48,228,635 

  Registered Name     Local Shares                                    
  Capital                                                             
  International                                                       
  Limited                                                             
  State Street                                              1,209,580 
  Nominees Limited                                                    
  Bank of New York                                          6,798,790 
  Nominees                                                            
  Northern Trust                                            2,822,744 
  Chase Nominees                                            5,600,936 
  Limited                                                             
  Midland Bank plc                                            494,800 
  Bankers Trust                                               481,400 
  Barclays Bank                                               245,800 
  Citibank London                                             755,056 
  Morgan Guaranty                                             159,300 
  Nortrust Nominees                                         3,700,491 
  Royal Bank of                                             1,382,200 
  Scotland                                                            
  MSS Nominees                                                183,500 
  Limited                                                             
  State Street Bank                                         2,603,770 
  & Trust Co.                                                         
  National                                                    202,945 
  Westminster Bank                                                    
  Lloyds Bank                                                  64,400 
  Citibank                                                    109,500 
  Hong Kong &                                                 380,400 
  Shanghai Banking                                                    
  Corp                                                                
  Citibank NA                                                  68,400 
  Standard                                                      3,200 
  Chartered Bank                                                      
  (Hong Kong)                                                         
  Deutsche Bank AG                                          1,054,416 
  Chase Manhattan                                             175,600 
  Nominee Ltd.                                                        
  State Street                                                 86,600 
  Australia Limited                                                   
  HSBC Bank plc                                               845,900 
  Mellon Bank N.A.                                            290,782 
  Northern Trust                                              784,500 
  AVFC                                                                
  KAS UK                                                      110,968 
  Mellon Nominees                                             262,700 
  (UK) Limited                                                        
  Bank One London                                             284,000 
  Clysesdale Bank                                             210,100 
  plc                                                                 
  JP Morgan Chase                                             467,932 
  Bank                                                                
              Total                                        31,840,710 

  Registered Name     Local Shares                                    
  Capital                                                             
  International S.A                                                   
  State Street                                                 24,400 
  Nominees Limited                                                    
  Bank of New York                                             33,200 
  Nominees                                                            
  Northern Trust                                               22,100 
  Chase Nominees                                            2,212,439 
  Limited                                                             
  Credit Suisse                                                56,300 
  London Branch                                                       
  Midland Bank plc                                            929,411 
  Barclays Bank                                               417,470 
  Pictet & Cie,                                                40,700 
  Geneva                                                              
  Citibank London                                              50,700 
  Brown Bros.                                                  78,017 
  Nortrust Nominees                                            31,800 
  Morgan Stanley                                               24,480 
  Royal Bank of                                               142,300 
  Scotland                                                            
  J.P.Morgan                                                2,613,327 
  State Street Bank                                            28,300 
  & Trust Co.                                                         
  National                                                     69,400 
  Westminster Bank                                                    
  Lloyds Bank                                                  26,800 
  RBSTB Nominees                                              102,200 
  Ltd.                                                                
  Citibank NA                                                  24,900 
  Deutsche Bank AG                                            178,836 
  HSBC Bank plc                                               455,550 
  HSBC                                                         34,000 
              Total                                         7,596,630 


  Registered Name     Local Shares                                    
  Capital                                                             
  International,                                                      
  Inc.                                                                
  State Street                                              2,718,772 
  Nominees Limited                                                    
  Bank of New York                                            426,187 
  Nominees                                                            
  Northern Trust                                               28,629 
  Chase Nominees                                            1,965,090 
  Limited                                                             
  Midland Bank plc                                            253,417 
  Bankers Trust                                                20,000 
  Citibank London                                           6,827,100 
  Brown Bros.                                                 271,295 
  Nortrust Nominees                                           393,700 
  Royal Bank of                                               213,915 
  Scotland                                                            
  State Street Bank                                           203,850 
  & Trust Co.                                                         
  Sumitomo Trust &                                             89,500 
  Banking                                                             
  Citibank                                                     18,600 
  RBSTB Nominees                                               46,497 
  Ltd.                                                                
  Citibank NA                                                 281,781 
  HSBC Bank plc                                               180,984 
  JP Morgan Chase                                             371,400 
  Bank                                                                
              Total                                        14,310,717 

  Registered Name     Local Shares                                    
  Capital Research                                                    
  and Management                                                      
  Company                                                             
  State Street                                              6,130,648 
  Nominees Limited                                                    
  Chase Nominees                                          162,034,733 
  Limited                                                             
  Cede & Co                                                64,688,190 
  JPM Nominees Ltd.                                            29,529 
  State Street Bank                                           112,457 
  & Trust Co.                                                         
              Total                                       232,995,557 
 

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