Company Announcements – February 2006

On the 16th of February 2006, the Board of Directors of HSBC Bank p.l.c. published their Preliminary Statement of annual results for the financial year ended 31 December 2005 which results portrayed another successful year for the bank and its subsidiaries as a profit before tax on ordinary activities of Lm36.7 million was generated, an increase of Lm 3.9 million compared with the year ended 31 December 2004.  The Board also declared a final ordinary dividend of 19.1 cents gross per share and a special dividend of 21.1 cents gross per share giving a total final dividend of 40.2 cents per share which dividends will be payable to shareholders who are on the register of shareholders as at 21 February 2006.  A three-for-one bonus share issue was also recommended by the Board which will be allotted to shareholders on the register of members as at close of trading on the MSE on 18 April 2006 and will be available for trading by the shareholders at the opening of business on 19 April 2006.