Fourth interim dividend for 2010

The Directors have declared a fourth interim dividend for 2010 of US$0.12 per ordinary share. Information on the scrip dividend scheme and currencies in which shareholders may elect to have the cash dividend paid will be sent to shareholders on or about 30 March 2011. The timetable for the dividend is:

Shares quoted ex-dividend in London, Hong Kong, Paris and Bermuda	16 March 2011
American Depositary Shares (ADSs) quoted ex-dividend in New York	16 March 2011
Record date in Hong Kong	17 March 2011
Record date in London, New York, Paris and Bermuda1	18 March 2011
Mailing of Annual Report and Accounts 2010 and/or Annual Review 2010, Notice of Annual General Meeting and dividend documentation	30 March 2011
Final date for receipt by registrars of forms of election, Investor Centre electronic instructions and revocations of standing instructions for scrip dividends	20 April 2011
Exchange rate determined for payment of dividends in sterling and Hong Kong dollars	27 April 2011
Payment date: dividend warrants, new share certificates or transaction advices and notional tax vouchers mailed and shares credited to stock accounts in CREST	5 May 2011

1. 1Removals to and from the Overseas Branch register of shareholders in Hong Kong will not be permitted on this date.

Interim dividends for 2011

The Board has adopted a policy of paying quarterly interim dividends on the ordinary shares. Under this policy, it is intended to have a pattern of three equal interim dividends with a variable fourth interim dividend. It is envisaged that the first interim dividend in respect of 2011 will be US$0.09 per ordinary share. The proposed timetables for the dividends in respect of 2011 are:

	Interim dividends for 2011
	First	Second	Third	Fourth
Announcement	3 May 2011	1 August 2011	7 November 2011	27 February 2012
Shares quoted ex-dividend in London, Hong Kong, Paris and Bermuda	18 May 2011	17 August 2011	23 November 2011	14 March 2012
ADSs quoted ex-dividend in New York	18 May 2011	17 August 2011	23 November 2011	14 March 2012
Record date in Hong Kong	19 May 2011	18 August 2011	24 November 2011	15 March 2012
Record date in London, New York, Paris and Bermuda1	20 May 2011	19 August 2011	25 November 2011	16 March 2012
Payment date	6 July 2011	6 October 2011	18 January 2012	2 May 2012

1. 1 Removals to and from the Overseas Branch Register of shareholders in Hong Kong will not be permitted on these dates.

Dividends are declared in US dollars and, at the election of the shareholder, paid in cash in one of, or in a combination of, US dollars, sterling and Hong Kong dollars or, subject to the Board’s determination that a scrip dividend is to be offered in respect of that dividend, may be satisfied in whole or in part by the issue of new shares in lieu of a cash dividend.

Annual General Meeting

The 2011 Annual General Meeting will be held at the Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, London EC2 on Friday, 27 May 2011 at 11.00am.

Interim Management Statements and interim results

Interim Management Statements are expected to be issued on or around 12 May 2011 and 9 November 2011. The interim results for the six months to 30 June 2011 are expected to be issued on 1 August 2011.

Shareholder enquiries and communications

Any enquiries relating to shareholdings on the share register, for example, transfers of shares, change of name or address, lost share certificates or dividend cheques, should be sent to the Registrars at the address given on the Contacts page. The Registrars offer an online facility, Investor Centre, which enables shareholders to manage their shareholding electronically.

If you have been nominated to receive general shareholder communications directly from HSBC Holdings, it is important to remember that your main contact in terms of your investment remains as it was (the registered shareholder, or perhaps custodian or broker, who administers the investment on your behalf). Therefore, any changes or queries relating to your personal details and holding (including any administration thereof) must continue to be directed to your existing contact at your investment manager or custodian. HSBC Holdings cannot guarantee dealing with matters directed to it in error.

Investor relations

Enquiries relating to HSBC’s strategy or operations may be directed to:

Annual Review 2010

Further copies of this Annual Review may be obtained by writing to the following departments:

Electronic communications

Shareholders may at any time choose to receive corporate communications in printed form or to receive a notification of their availability on HSBC’s website. To receive future notifications of the availability of a corporate communication on HSBC’s website by email, or revoke or amend an instruction to receive such notifications by email, go to www.hsbc.com/ecomms. If you provide an email address to receive electronic communications from HSBC, we will also send notifications of your dividend entitlements by email. If you received a notification of the availability of this document on HSBC’s website and would like to receive a printed copy of it, or if you would like to receive future corporate communications in printed form, please write or send an email to the appropriate Registrars at the address given on the Contacts page. Printed copies will be provided without charge.

Chinese translation

A Chinese translation of this Annual Review is available upon request after 30 March 2011 from the Registrars.

Please also contact the Registrars if you wish to receive Chinese translations of future documents or if you have received a Chinese translation of this document and do not wish to receive such translations in future.

French translation

A French translation of this Annual Review is available upon request from:

La traduction française Bilan d’activité est disponible sur demande:

Direction de la Communication
HSBC France
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France