2025-07-30 07:45Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the first half of 2025, revenue grew by 6% to $35.4 billion, while profit before tax increased by 5% to $18.9 billion, resulting in an annualized return on tangible equity of 18.2%, up 1.2% year on year [1][3][4] - For the second quarter, revenue was $17.7 billion, reflecting a 5% year-on-year growth driven by fee and other income [21][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Hong Kong home market business attracted 100,000 new customers monthly, with deposits increasing by $83 billion year-on-year [2][4] - The UK loan book grew by $6 billion over the quarter, with a 4% year-on-year increase [2][25] - Commercial Banking saw a recovery in lending growth, with loans increasing by $3.5 billion [3] - Wealth business fee and other income grew by 22% year-on-year, with net new invested assets of $22 billion in the quarter [25][31] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Hong Kong, deposits grew by 9% over the last twelve months on a constant currency basis [24] - The banking net interest income (NII) guidance for 2025 is reiterated at around $42 billion, despite headwinds from lower HIBOR rates [4][28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on organizational simplification to enhance agility and cost efficiency, targeting $1.5 billion in savings by 2026 [6][7] - Investments are being made in priority growth areas, particularly in wealth management and transaction banking, to capture affluent customer segments in Asia and the Middle East [6][10][100] - The company is exiting non-strategic activities to reallocate resources towards areas with competitive advantages [8][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's position amidst macroeconomic uncertainty, emphasizing strong financial health and customer relationships [4][16] - The outlook for Hong Kong's commercial real estate remains cautious, with expectations of stabilization in residential development but ongoing challenges in the office sector [70][72] Other Important Information - A second interim dividend of $0.10 per share was announced, alongside a share buyback of up to $3 billion, bringing total shareholder distributions for the half year to $9.5 billion [3][23] - The company is modernizing operations through AI and automation to improve productivity and customer service [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on Banking NII Guidance - The banking NII guidance of $42 billion includes market expectations of HIBOR returning above 2% in the third quarter, with a $100 million monthly impact from HIBOR at 1% [40][43] Question: Impact of Tariffs on Revenue - The company noted that tariffs have always been a part of global trade, and despite recent shifts in U.S. tariff policy, trade fees and other income grew by 4% [48][52] Question: Impairments and Hong Kong CRE Outlook - Management indicated that the Hong Kong commercial real estate market is under scrutiny, with a focus on a small portion of the portfolio that requires attention, while overall confidence in the market remains [70][72] Question: Sustainability of Non-Interest Income Growth - The company highlighted strong performance in non-interest income driven by wealth management and FX, but acknowledged the potential volatility based on market conditions [94][102]