The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. (Hongkong Bank) has been awarded the 'Best Bank in Asia' for the second consecutive year by Euromoney which announced its award for Excellence in the July 1998 issue.

The magazine said, "In these difficult times Euromoney's best Bank in Asia is appropriately, a bank that has been operating there for over 130 years and has seen the old regional problem before. With 680 branches across Asia - the biggest network of any bank - Hongkong Bank has a reputation among it's clients for stability."

Hongkong Bank has won eight Euromoney Awards for Excellence in Asia this year, including:

Best bank in Asia, best treasury - HSBC markets, best sub - custodian bank, best trade - finance bank, best foreign bank in Malaysia, best bank in Hong Kong, best foreign bank in Singapore and best foreign bank in China.

Hongkong Bank together with its subsidiaries has more than 600 offices in 32 countries and territories worldwide. It is a principal member of the HSBC Group which, with more than 5,500 offices in 81 countries and territories and assets in excess of GBP 286 billion as at December 31, '97 is among the worlds largest banking and financial services institutions.