Annual Report and Accounts 2011 - Bermuda Stock Exchange
Annual Report and Accounts 2011 - Bermuda Stock Exchange
Annual Report and Accounts 2011 - Bermuda Stock Exchange
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Capital <strong>and</strong> liquidity<br />
Preserving our strong capital position has long been,<br />
<strong>and</strong> will remain, a key priority for HSBC. We are<br />
well equipped to respond to the capital requirements<br />
imposed by Basel III, which are discussed further<br />
on page 212, <strong>and</strong> to sustain future growth. We utilise<br />
an enterprise-wide approach to testing the<br />
sensitivities of our capital plans against a number<br />
of scenarios; our approach to scenario stress testing<br />
analysis is discussed on page 188.<br />
We continue to maintain a very strong liquidity<br />
position <strong>and</strong> are well positioned for the emerging<br />
new regulatory l<strong>and</strong>scape.<br />
Top <strong>and</strong> emerging risks<br />
(Unaudited)<br />
Details of the top <strong>and</strong> emerging risks identified<br />
through our risk management processes are set out<br />
below:<br />
Macro-economic <strong>and</strong> geopolitical risk<br />
• Eurozone – risk of sovereign default<br />
• Eurozone member departing from the<br />
currency union<br />
• Increased geopolitical risk in certain<br />
regions<br />
Eurozone – risk of sovereign <strong>and</strong><br />
counterparty defaults<br />
Exposures to the eurozone have received increasing<br />
focus given the continued instability in the area <strong>and</strong><br />
the potential for contagion from the peripheral to<br />
core eurozone countries.<br />
There is an increasing risk of sovereign defaults<br />
by the peripheral eurozone countries which would<br />
place further pressure on banks within the core<br />
European countries that are exposed to these<br />
sovereigns. Although our exposure to the peripheral<br />
eurozone countries is relatively limited, we are<br />
exposed to counterparties in the core European<br />
countries which could be affected by any sovereign<br />
crisis. Our eurozone exposures are described in more<br />
detail on pages 113 to 118.<br />
Potential impact on HSBC<br />
• Our exposures to European banks may come<br />
under stress, heightening the potential for credit<br />
<strong>and</strong> market risk losses, if the sovereign debt<br />
crisis in the region increases the need to<br />
recapitalise parts of the sector.<br />
• Trade <strong>and</strong> capital flows may contract as a result<br />
of banks deleveraging, protectionist measures<br />
being introduced in certain markets or the<br />
emergence of geopolitical risks, which in turn<br />
might curtail profitability.<br />
• A prolonged period of low interest rates due to<br />
policy actions taken to address the eurozone<br />
crisis will constrain, through spread<br />
compression <strong>and</strong> low returns on assets, the<br />
interest income we earn from investing our<br />
excess deposits.<br />
• In the event of contagion from stress in the<br />
peripheral eurozone sovereign <strong>and</strong> financial<br />
sectors, our ability to borrow from other<br />
financial institutions or to engage in funding<br />
transactions may be adversely affected by<br />
market dislocation <strong>and</strong> tightening liquidity.<br />
• We have actively managed the risk of sovereign<br />
defaults during <strong>2011</strong> by reducing exposures <strong>and</strong><br />
other measures.<br />
Eurozone member departing from the<br />
currency union<br />
The risk of a eurozone member departing from the<br />
currency union is a plausible scenario. Should it<br />
materialise it would have a significant impact on the<br />
entire financial sector <strong>and</strong> the wider economy. It<br />
would crystallise sovereign risks <strong>and</strong> those to the<br />
bank <strong>and</strong> corporate sectors, <strong>and</strong> the disruption<br />
caused would affect consumer activity.<br />
Potential impact on HSBC<br />
• We could incur significant losses stemming<br />
from the exit of one or more countries from the<br />
eurozone <strong>and</strong> the return to their local<br />
currencies.<br />
• In addition, should such an event happen in a<br />
disorderly manner, it could trigger banking<br />
defaults in companies with which we do<br />
business <strong>and</strong> have a knock-on effect on the<br />
global banking system.<br />
• In seeking to manage <strong>and</strong> mitigate this risk, we<br />
have prepared <strong>and</strong> tested detailed operational<br />
contingency plans to deal with such a scenario.<br />
We are keeping these plans under close review<br />
as events develop.<br />
Shareholder Information Financial Statements<br />
Corporate Governance Operating & Financial Review<br />
Overview<br />
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