HSBC Bank Canada Offering

HSBC Hldgs PLC
23 June 2000


        HSBC BANK CANADA OFFERING OF PREFERRED SHARES
                 AND ASSET TRUST SECURITIES

HSBC Bank Canada has entered into an underwriting agreement
for the sale of C$125 million of 6.25 per cent Non-
Cumulative Class 1 Preferred Shares, Series A (the
'Preferred Shares Series A'). A final prospectus has been
filed with the securities regulatory authority of each of
the provinces of Canada and the offering is expected to
close on 28 June 2000.

The Preferred Shares Series A will qualify as Tier 1 Capital
of HSBC Bank Canada for regulatory purposes. The issuance of
the Preferred Shares Series A is being co-led by HSBC
Securities (Canada) Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc.

HSBC Bank Canada and HSBC Canada Asset Trust, an affiliate
of HSBC Bank Canada, have also entered into an underwriting
agreement for the sale of C$200 million of HSBC Canada Asset
Trust Securities - Series 2010 (the 'HSBC HaTS'), which will
initially have an effective annual yield of 7.78 per cent.

Each HSBC HaTS represents an undivided beneficial ownership
interest in the assets held by the trust from time to time.
A final prospectus has been filed with the securities
regulatory authority of each of the provinces of Canada and
the offering is also expected to close on 28 June 2000. The
HSBC HaTS will qualify as Innovative Tier 1 Capital of HSBC
Bank Canada. The issuance of the HSBC HaTS is being co-led
by HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. and TD Securities Inc.

The Preferred Shares Series A have been rated Pfd-2(high)n
by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited and P-2(Low) by CBRS
Inc. The HSBC HaTS have been rated A(low)yn by Dominion Bond
Rating Service Limited and P-2(Low) by CBRS Inc.

HSBC Bank Canada, an indirectly-held, wholly-owned
subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, has more than 140 offices.
With over 5,000 offices in 80 countries and territories and
assets of US$569 billion at 31 December 1999, the HSBC Group
is one of the world's largest banking and financial services
organisations.