Household HSBC Watch

Bankruptcy laws were changed and strengthened in 2005. Then greedy banksters, mortgage brokers, and lending companies felt safe. They could do whatever they wanted to do, since it was harder to declare bankruptcy. Nationally, the total number of bankruptcies filed in the first half of 2008, however, rose 29.2 percent, to 522,205, […]

This is a perfect example of HSBC’s exportation of the Household International model of doing business. Credit card interest rates have been increased to as high as 50 percent in India. While proud of making a profit in developing nations HSBC is not alone. ICIC, Deutsche Bank, SBI and HSBC have either […]

With the United States in a recession the double-speak is interesting. Some call the recession of 2000-2001 a “mini-recession.” Now HSBC’s Douglas Flint has a “technical recession.” HSBC finance director Douglas Flint said: “The issue now is the US slowdown and whether it enters a technical recession, and what that does to […]

HSBC is heavily exposed to credit card assets. In that light, it is similar to Capital One, which earlier this year slashed its earnings estimates by over 20 percent due to high default rates and building losses. We see potential for a negative impact to HSBC’s earnings from this exposure as well. HSBC credit […]

When news rules are needed or suggested, cause and effect implies abuses prompted the action. At HSBC Finance things could not get much worse for HSBC, and always seem to get worse for customers. That may change as new credit card rules have been proposed. Under the plan, banks could increase […]

HSBC and activist investor organizaiton Knight-Vinke have been challenging each other for quite some time. This past weekend Knight-Vinke said “‘The dismissive comments in your letter conveyed a worrying degree of complacency. I hope this is just a matter of tone and not of substance.” The same United States division of HSBC […]

HSBC’s mortgage-related troubles may not be over, however. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analyst Roy Ramos, wrote on November 24 that the bank may have to write down an additional $12 billion at its Household International Inc. unit. The bigger the banking institution, the bigger the clean up (excerpt). HSBC’s credit card business may also […]

Today is not a good day for HSBC, leaving the bank in a position it may have never anticpated. Layoffs continue at HFC and Beneficial Finance branches in the United States, Goldman Sachs said HSBC may be required to set aside another $12 billion for subprime bad debts, and HSBC kept two SIVs solvent […]

Carrick MollenKamp of the Wall Street Journal follows HSBC closely. His recent article “HSBC a canary in US mortgage mine” appeared on 12 November. It is interesting to note that HSBC helped to start the entire worldwide credit crisis. “…HSBC said souring sub-prime-mortgage loans had forced the bank to add nearly $US2 […]

Iain Dey of the Telegraph reports that HSBC will this week reveal a further $1bn (£475m) of bad debts stemming from its American mortgage business, amid mounting fears that the full impact of the global credit crunch has yet to wash up on British shores. You can see the full article here. […]