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Who is HSBC?
It is the world's largest company and the world's largest banking group, as calculated based on different metrics by the annual Forbes list of the world's largest firms published on April 2, 2008.[2][3] In February 2008, HSBC was named the world's most valuable banking brand by The Banker magazine.[4][5]
HSBC Holdings was established in 1991 to become the parent company to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in preparation for its purchase of the Midland Bank in Britain and in change of domicile for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. The former was established virtually simultaneously in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and Europe by Scotsman Thomas Sutherland, who wanted a bank operating on "sound Scottish banking principles". Its heritage in East Asia means it is a British institution with an extensive international pedigree.
HSBC is well-known in banking circles for its diversified and risk-averse approach in its business operations (to the extent that, for instance, Europe contributes around one-third of its 2007 earnings and commercial banking 30%). [6]
According to Forbes magazine, the world's largest bank (based on a composite score) is currently the fourth largest bank in the world in terms of assets ($2,348.98 billion), the second largest in terms of sales ($146.50 billion), the largest in terms of market value ($180.81 billion), and the most profitable bank in the world with $19.13 billion in net income last year (compared to Citigroup's $3.62 billion in the same period) as of April 2, 2008.[7]
It is also by far the largest bank in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong, prints most of Hong Kong's local currency in its own name, is a lender of last resort in many parts of the world,[8] and since the end of 2005 has been the largest banking group in the world by Tier 1 capital.
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