HSBC announces shares issue as profits slide

HSBC on Monday announced a 62 percent slide in annual pre-tax profits to $9.3 billion, delivering a further blow for the beleaguered UK banking industry. The bank also confirmed it would seek to raise $17.7 billion through a shares issue to bolster its capital strength — a record sum for a British company. Highlighting $15.5 billion losses in its U.S

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