AP Photo 1 month ago

A man walks past the HSBC headquarters in Central, the business district of Hong Kong Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009.

A girl eyes a paper cutout of the HSBC headquarters as part of the skyline of Hong Kong sculpted by British artist Su Blackwell using an English copy of the Chinese classic "The Journey to the West" during an exhibition in Hong Kong July 14, 2009.

Getty Images 5 months ago

An HSBC sign is seen at branch in Beijing on May 21, 2009. China has given the green light for Bank of East Asia and HSBC to issue yuan bonds in Hong Kong, state media said on May 19, the first time foreign-invested lenders have been allowed to sell such debt.

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An HSBC logo is pictured above a branch in London, on March 25, 2009. HSBC said Wednesday it could axe up to 1,200 workers in Britain as Europe's biggest bank strengthened measures to withstand the global financial crisis.

Getty Images 7 months ago

An HSBC logo is pictured above a branch in London, on March 25, 2009. HSBC said Wednesday it could axe up to 1,200 workers in Britain as Europe's biggest bank strengthened measures to withstand the global financial crisis.

Getty Images 7 months ago

A worker cleans a lion 'guarding' the HSBC headquarters in Hong Kong on March 17, 2009. HSBC's finance chief said the banking giant will not require a British government bailout even if economic conditions in Britain or the US worsen, a report said on March 16.

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British banking group HSBC's headquarters at Canary Wharf in London on March 1, 2009. HSBC has weathered the financial crisis better than many of its rivals, but the banking giant is still expected to announce it needs more capital when it unveils its annual results tomorrow.

HSBC headquarters is seen at Hong Kong's financial Central district February 9, 2009. Banking giant HSBC is reported to be preparing to sack up to 1,000 staff in Hong Kong this coming week, government radio reported on Monday.

Getty Images 9 months ago

A man walks past a branch of HSBC bank in London on January 19, 2009. Banking giant HSBC on Monday rejected speculation it may be the next bank to require government support, with the international financial crisis already having hammered rival British lenders.

The HSBC headquarters is reflected in a commercial building in Hong Kong January 18, 2009. Shares in Europe's biggest bank, HSBC, sagged to a 10-year low last Friday as fears mounted it will cut its dividend and potentially raise more capital if the global economic turmoil worsens.

Getty Images 9 months ago

Pedestrians walk past a branch of global banking giant HSBC in Hong Kong on January 15, 2009. Hong Kong share prices closed 3.4 percent lower as HSBC dragged the index down, matching tumbles on bourses across the region on worries about the grim state of the global economy, dealers said.

Getty Images 10 months ago

Pidgeon's are pictured beside a branch of HSBC bank in London, on January 6, 2009. Banking giant HSBC on Monday rejected speculation it may be the next bank to require government support, with the international financial crisis already having hammered rival British lenders.

Getty Images 10 months ago

A pidgeon is pictured beside a branch of HSBC bank in London on January 6, 2009. Banking giant HSBC on Monday rejected speculation it may be the next bank to require government support, with the international financial crisis already having hammered rival British lenders.

Getty Images 11 months ago

People walk past a HSBC branch in Hong Kong on December 8, 2008. Global banking giant HSBC has set up a 5 billion USD fund to help small and medium sized businesses get access to credit during the global financial crisis, the bank said.

A man works inside the HSBC headquarters in Hong Kong November 18, 2008. HSBC will lay off 500 staff in Asia, 90 percent of which will be in Hong Kong, due to deteriorating economic conditions and its cautious outlook for 2009, spokesman Gareth Hewett said on Tuesday.

A man works inside the HSBC headquarters in Hong Kong November 18, 2008. HSBC will lay off 500 staff in Asia, 90 percent of which will be in Hong Kong, due to deteriorating economic conditions and its cautious outlook for 2009, spokesman Gareth Hewett said on Tuesday.

Getty Images 12 months ago

A branch of HSBC bank is pictured in Egham, Surrey, on November 10, 2008. Global banking giant HSBC said on Monday that its pre-tax profits had risen in the third-quarter despite loan write-offs in the United States rising to 4.3 billion dollars (3.3 billion euros).

Getty Images 12 months ago

A branch of HSBC bank is pictured in Egham, Surrey, on November 10, 2008. Global banking giant HSBC said on Monday that its pre-tax profits had risen in the third-quarter despite loan write-offs in the United States rising to 4.3 billion dollars (3.3 billion euros).

Getty Images 12 months ago

A branch of HSBC bank is pictured in Egham, Surrey, on November 10, 2008. Global banking giant HSBC said on Monday that its pre-tax profits had risen in the third-quarter despite loan write-offs in the United States rising to 4.3 billion dollars (3.3 billion euros).

The HSBC building is pictured in Canary Wharf in London in this May 7, 2008 file photo.

The HSBC building is pictured in Canary Wharf, London in this May 7, 2008 file photo.

The HSBC building in Canary Wharf in London in this October 8, 2008 file photo.

A customer enters a branch of HSBC bank in central London November 8, 2008.

Getty Images 12 months ago

Pedestrians walk past a HSBC logo in Hong Kong on November 10, 2008. Global banking giant HSBC said that its pre-tax profits had risen in the third-quarter despite loan write-offs in the United States rising to 4.3 billion dollars (3.3 billion euros).

Getty Images 12 months ago

A pedestrian walks past a branch of HSBC in Hong Kong on November 10, 2008. Global banking giant HSBC said that its pre-tax profits had risen in the third-quarter despite loan write-offs in the United States rising to 4.3 billion dollars (3.3 billion euros).