Company: HBCYF
Filing Date: 2025-04-29
Form Type: 6-K
Source: 0001654954-25-004763
Chunk: 2

Company: HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
Filing Date: 2025-04-29
Form: 6-K
Chunk 2
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2bn higher than in 1Q24 as we increased allowances to reflect heightened uncertainty and a deterioration in the forward economic outlook due to geopolitical tensions and higher trade tariffs.

- Operating expenses of $8.1bn were stable compared with 1Q24. Growth from higher spend and investment in technology, the impacts of inflation and restructuring and other related costs associated with our organisational simplification of $0.1bn in 1Q25 were broadly offset by the impact of our disposals in Canada and Argentina. Target basis operating expenses were $7.9bn or $0.3bn higher than in 1Q24.

- Customer lending balances increased by $14bn compared with 4Q24, including favourable foreign currency translation differences. On a constant currency basis, lending balances increased by $2bn. This included growth in term lending in our CIB segment, which was broadly offset by a reduction from the reclassification of $7bn in home and other loans retained in France following the disposal of our retail banking operations to 'financial investments measured at fair value through other comprehensive income'.

- Customer accounts increased by $12bn compared with 4Q24, including favourable foreign currency translation differences. On a constant currency basis, customer accounts decreased by $9bn, mainly from seasonal outflows in our CIB segment, partly offset by an increase in IWPB, notably in our legal entity in Hong Kong and in HSBC Bank plc.

- Common equity tier 1 ('CET1') capital ratio of 14.7% decreased by 0.2 percentage points compared with 4Q24, driven by an increase in risk-weighted assets ('RWAs'), partly offset by an increase in CET1 capital. The increase in RWAs was mainly driven by foreign currency translation differences, asset quality and asset size movements.

- The Board has approved a first interim dividend for 2025 of $0.10 per share. On 25 April, we completed the $2bn share buy-back announced at our full-year 2024 results. We now intend to initiate a share buy-back of up to $3bn, which we expect to commence shortly after our annual general meeting on 2 May 2025 and to complete within the period before our 2025 interim results announcement.

Outlook

- The macroeconomic environment is facing heightened uncertainty, in particular from protectionist trade policies, creating volatility in both economic forecasts and financial markets and adversely impacting consumer and business sentiment. Supporting our clients through this volatile period is our