HSBC considering raising £12 billion from shareholders
HSBC, one of the strongest banks in the world, is this weekend considering a possible £12 billion fund raising as US loans continue to go "bad". Those apparently in the "know" have indicated to financial journalists that a fundraising is possibly in the offing as a way to bolster the capital asset base of the business going forward. Will the UK authorities become involved in any fundraising?
When you consider that European banks have over the last few months raised in excess of $355 billion in rescue funding capital, investor appetite for further fundraisings must surely be diminishing with each and every day. While there has been no suggestion that the UK government is either in talks with HSBC or in anywhere instigated the potential fundraising it would appear highly likely that the UK authorities will at some stage become involved.
Unlike other fundraising programmes which have been brought on by increased losses and severe write-offs, it appears that the HSBC fundraising is purely to increase the company's asset base and strengthen the position of the company going forward. HSBC still continues to be one of the strongest banking operations in the world and has suffered only a fraction of the heartache felt by so many European competitors.
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