Banking
Bow to Beijing a low move by HSBC
HSBC has put money before morality to back China’s new security law: one that’s an assault on the freedoms of Hong Kong’s people.
Luckily for HSBC, it’s headquartered in Britain: a country where you can say what you like about Boris Johnson and his shambolic handling of the pandemic.
One, too, where the government does not force a company to cheerlead for a policy it may privately think outrageous. No, the bank only goes in for that sort of thing overseas.
And notably in Hong Kong, home of 54 per cent of last year’s $22.2 billion pre-tax profits.
There, HSBC has put money before morality to back China’s new security law: one that’s an assault on the freedoms of Hong Kong’s people. The bank’s justification only exacerbates the betrayal of 1997’s handover agreement: “We respect and support laws and regulations that will enable Hong Kong to recover and Continue reading Bow to Beijing a low move by HSBC | Business | The Times
Banking
HSBC to Scale Back China Credit Card Operations Amid Expansion Challenges – Reuters
HSBC is withdrawing from its China credit card business due to difficulties in expanding, marking a strategic retreat in a challenging market environment.
HSBC’s Strategy Shift in China
HSBC is scaling back its credit card operations in China, highlighting challenges the bank has faced in expanding its customer base. The competitive landscape, combined with changing consumer preferences, has made it increasingly difficult for the bank to maintain its position in this lucrative market.
Market Challenges Ahead
Recent reports indicate that HSBC is reassessing its strategy, focusing resources on other areas where it sees stronger growth potential. The decision to pull back reflects the broader difficulties foreign banks encounter when trying to penetrate China’s financial services sector.
Future Focus
As HSBC pivots away from its credit card business in China, it aims to concentrate on digital banking and wealth management services. This strategic shift underscores the bank’s commitment to adapting to the evolving landscape of financial services while ensuring long-term sustainability in the region.
Source : Exclusive: HSBC pulling back from China credit card business after struggling to expand – Reuters
Banking
How China’s role in global finance has changed radically
Within the space of just 15 years, China has gone from being the largest net lender to the world to now being a net borrower. The implications for the global economy, and China’s role within that economy, could be significant.
‘If you owe the bank $1 million, you have a problem. But if you owe the bank $1 trillion, then the bank has a problem’. It’s an old gag, but it underscores an important point: the size of your borrowing or lending can have profound implications for your role in the world.
(more…)Banking
Could China’s financial repression be good for growth?
China’s financial reform and development over the past four decades could be described as strong in establishing financial institutions and growing financial assets, but weak in liberalising financial markets and improving corporate governance.
When China began economic reform in 1978, it had only one financial institution — the People’s Bank of China. As a centrally planned economy, the state arranged the transfer of funds and there was little demand for financial intermediation.
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