OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings of two HSBC Holdings subsidiaries: HSBC Bank Plc (HSBC Bank) and HSBC Latin America Holdings (UK) Limited at 'AA-' with Stable Outlook. A full list of rating actions is at the end of this rating action commentary.

HSBC Bank plc

KEY RATING DRIVERS
IDRs, VR, SUPPORT AND DEBT RATINGS
HSBC Bank is a 100% directly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc (AA-/Stable; aa-). Its IDRs and debt ratings are aligned with HSBC's equivalent ratings primarily because we consider HSBC Bank as a key and integral part of the group's business and we believe there to be a very high probability that, in case of need, its parent will provide extraordinary support on a timely basis. HSBC Bank is a leading UK bank and the parent of HSBC's European subsidiaries. A default by it would constitute huge reputational risk to the parent and wider group.

The rating of HSBC Bank's senior debt is aligned with the bank's IDRs. The rating of its subordinated debt is notched down once from HSBC Bank's IDR for loss severity; the rating of its upper tier two debt three times (one for loss severity and two for incremental non-performance risk) and the rating of its other capital securities four notches (two for loss severity and two for incremental non-performance risk), in line with equivalent securities at the HSBC level.

HSBC Bank's Support Rating (SR) of '1' reflects our opinion that there is an extremely high likelihood of extraordinary support from its parent HSBC should this be required. The SR reflects Fitch's view that HSBC has a very strong propensity and ability to support HSBC Bank. The ability to support is indicated by HSBC's rating and is viewed in the context of the size of any likely solvency support that would be required relative to the capital available and access at HSBC Holdings.

VR
HSBC Bank's VR is lower than that of HSBC as it factors in higher concentration of market risk and because of its more volatile underlying performance compared with the overall group. HSBC Bank has a large exposure to global banking & markets (GB&M) activities relative to its capital base because the group books a large portion of this business at the bank. Its capital is lower than that of its UK peers, in part because of the common supervision of HSBC Bank and HSBC.

Nonetheless, its VR is the highest we have assigned to a UK independent domestic bank, as we believe its company profile (which has a high influence on the VR) benefits strongly from high diversification, operational ordinary support from HSBC as well as from its brand and international connectivity to the HSBC group. Its conservative overall risk appetite is in line with our assessment of risk appetite for the group; its asset quality demonstrates a high degree of stability and its funding and liquidity profile, benefiting from a high share of customer deposits, is very stable.

Capital is managed by HSBC Bank according to its regulatory and business needs as well as within the context of the HSBC group's capital management framework. Although our assessment of capital incorporates the flexibility of HSBC group's capital and thus HSBC Bank's strong access to capital from its parent, as the bank's domestic importance and recovery and resolution planning becomes clearer from a regulatory perspective, we believe that its current capital position will increase over the medium-term. The end-point capitalisation of HSBC Bank will depend partly on its deleveraging plans for its GB&M business, as well as on the structural reform it has to implement in the UK (ring-fencing) in the medium-term.

The bank maintains conservative underwriting standards and measured growth targets. Its risk appetite has remained low, at the expense of achieving its planned growth targets in 2014/1H15. As the consolidating entity of a number of European markets, the bank has some exposure to Russia, Greece, and to commodities, although, altogether these remain moderately low compared with its equity.

Impaired loans have been declining gradually as the bank benefits from its continued low risk business model and benign economic conditions in its core UK market. Overall, they represent a small share of total risk and impairment charges are consistently low.

HSBC Bank is funded mainly with retail deposits. Its funding and liquidity are very strong, with the latter benefiting from prudent management.

Performance has been affected in recent years by high conduct charges and markets volatility in its GB&M business. While this has been improving it remains under pressure from low interest rates in the UK and the rest of Europe. Intensifying competition in the UK mortgage market is expected to put margins under pressure and costs are affected by increased regulatory-driven legal, compliance and risk costs, although further efficiency savings are planned. Not all its European markets have reached targeted efficiency levels and some additional restructuring may be expected in the short- to medium-term.

HSBC Latin America Holdings

KEY RATING DRIVERS
IDR AND SUPPORT RATING
HSBC Latin America Holdings is a 100% directly owned subsidiary of HSBC whose Long-term IDR is aligned with HSBC's because Fitch views it as core and integral to HSBC. The entity is an intermediate holding company of all of HSBC's operations in Latin America and its importance derives from its role as facilitator for HSBC's presence in Latin America. We understand from management that this holding was set up at the request of a Latin American regulator. Its balance sheet is modest in size relative to that of the parent. The SR reflects an extremely high likelihood that HSBC would provide institutional support, in case of need.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

HSBC Bank plc:

IDRS, SENIOR DEBT, AND SUPPORT RATING

HSBC Bank's IDRs and debt ratings are primarily sensitive to the same factors that might drive a change in HSBC's IDRs and equivalent debt ratings, unless the bank's importance to the wider group diminishes or the wider group's ability to support it weakens.

The SR is sensitive to significant changes to the parent's ability to support HSBC Bank that could, for example, be indicated by a change to the parent's rating, a change in the size of HSBC Bank relative to HSBC or any other material impediment to extraordinary support being provided. It is also sensitive to any negative changes to Fitch's view of the parent's propensity to provide support.

VR

Negative pressure on HSBC Bank's VR could be caused by excessive trading volatility at GB&M, faster-than-envisaged growth or a disproportionate increase in risk at its European subsidiaries. Additional risks arise from further UK-based conduct charges or incremental regulatory-driven compliance and risk management costs materially affecting the bank's profitability and capital generation capacity.

Upgrade potential for the VR, one of the highest assigned to UK banks, is limited by the risk associated with the high indebtedness of UK households, to which HSBC Bank is materially exposed. The high proportion of markets business booked on its balance sheet compared with its capital also constrains the VR.

HSBC Latin America Holdings

IDR AND SUPPORT RATING:

HSBC Latin America Holdings' IDR is primarily sensitive to the same factors that might drive a change in HSBC's IDRs. Its SR is sensitive to changes in the ability and propensity of HSBC to provide support.

The rating actions are as follows:

HSBC Bank plc
Long-term IDR: affirmed at 'AA-'; Outlook Stable
Short-term IDR and debt/commercial paper: affirmed at 'F1+'
Viability Rating: affirmed at 'a+'
Support Rating: affirmed at '1'
Senior debt: affirmed at 'AA-'
Market-linked securities: affirmed at 'AA-emr'
Subordinated debt: affirmed at 'A+'
Upper Tier 2 notes (GB0005902332) affirmed at 'A-'
Other capital securities (XS0189704140, XS0179407910) affirmed at 'BBB+'

HSBC Latin America Holdings (UK) Limited
Long-term IDR: affirmed at 'AA-'; Outlook Stable
Support Rating: affirmed at '1'