HSBC HOLDINGS PLC

Glossary of Terms

Terms used Brief description The Act Companies Act 1985 (UK) ADS American Depositary Share AIEA Average interest-earning assets ALCO Asset and Liability Committee ARMs Adjustable rate mortgages ATM Automatic teller machine Banca Nazionale Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.A., the Argentine operations of Banca Nazionale del Lavoro SpA acquired by HSBC in April 2006 Bank of Bermuda The Bank of Bermuda Limited Bank of Communications Limited, mainland China’s fifth largest bank, owned 19.9 per cent by HSBC Basel Committee Basel Committee on Banking Supervision Basel I The 1988 Basel Capital Accord Basel II Final Accord of the Basel Committee on proposals for a new capital adequacy framework BRIC Brazil, Russia, India and China CPI Consumer Price Index CRD EU Capital Requirements Directive Cyprus Popular Bank The Cyprus Popular Bank Limited Doha The November 2001 declaration of the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha DPF Discretionary participation features ECB European Central Bank EU European Union FSA Financial Services Authority (UK) FTSE 100 The Financial Times-Stock Exchange 100 Index GAAP Generally accepted accounting principles GDP Gross domestic product GHOS Government Home Ownership Scheme Global Markets HSBC’s treasury and capital markets services in Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets Group HSBC Holdings together with its subsidiary undertakings Hang Seng Bank Limited, the largest locally incorporated bank in Hong Kong in terms of market capitalisation Hong Kong Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China HSBC HSBC Holdings together with its subsidiary undertakings HSBC Bank HSBC Bank plc, formerly Midland Bank plc HSBC Finance HSBC Finance Corporation, formerly Household International, Inc HSBC France HSBC’s French banking subsidiary (formerly CCF S.A.) HSBC Holdings HSBC Holdings plc HSBC Premier HSBC’s premium global banking service HSBC Seguros HSBC Seguros de Automoveis e Bens Limitada, a Brazilian non-life insurer sold in the second half of 2005 IAS International Accounting Standard IASB International Accounting Standards Board Industrial Bank Industrial Bank Co. Limited, a national joint-stock bank in mainland China of which Hang Seng Bank acquired 15.98 per cent in 2004 IFRIC International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee IFRSs International Financial Reporting Standards IMF International Monetary Fund IPO Initial public offering IVAs Individual voluntary arrangements Mainland China The People’s Republic of China excluding Hong Kong Metris Metris Companies Inc., US credit card issuer acquired in December 2005

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Glossary of Terms (continued)

Terms used Brief description MSCI World Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index Ping An Insurance Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Limited, the second- largest life insurance company in mainland China, in which HSBC holds a 19.9 per cent stake PS05/5 FSA policy statement ‘Implications of a changing accounting framework’, issued in April 2005 SEC US Securities and Exchange Commission SMEs Small and medium-sized enterprises TSR Total shareholder return UK US United States of America US GAAP US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles VAR Value at risk WTAS Wealth and Tax Advisory Services WTO World Trade Organisation

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