London, May 16, 2026, 14:06 BST
HSBC Holdings Plc opens Monday as traders look at new private-credit headlines following a slight weekly move higher in the bank’s London shares. HSBC was down 1.93% on Friday at 1,324 pence, but still managed to finish about 0.3% higher for the week. The FTSE 100 slid 1.71% to 10,195.37.
London trading is closed for the weekend. The London Stock Exchange trades Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. BST. The next LSE holiday is May 25. So the next trading day is Monday, May 18.
HSBC is sticking with private credit investments, according to Reuters on Friday, after the Financial Times said the bank had put a $4 billion push into its own private credit funds on hold. The fresh issue is private credit — lending outside public bond markets, typically through funds or specialist vehicles.
HSBC reported a $400 million loss tied to the failure of UK lender Market Financial Solutions just over a week before the latest report. CFO Pam Kaur said the loss came from “private credit-related loans” and told reporters that after checking their high-risk loans, HSBC did not “see anything comparable there.” Reuters
HSBC posted Q1 pre-tax profit of $9.4 billion, just $0.1 billion below last year. Expected credit losses came to $1.3 billion, covering some UK fraud. Net interest income jumped 8% to $8.9 billion. CEO Georges Elhedery said HSBC “remain[ed] confident” in its 2026 goals. HSBC
Competitive numbers didn’t clear the bar cleanly. KBW’s Ed Firth called the quarter “lacklustre,” according to Reuters. Citi analysts flagged HSBC’s 18% rise in wealth revenue, falling behind Standard Chartered’s 32%. Barclays booked a 228 million pound MFS impairment, so the problem wasn’t just with one bank. Reuters
Weak global markets weren’t much help for HSBC. World stocks dropped on Friday, tracking higher bond yields. Some investors stayed cautious as oil prices and inflation kept interest rate worries alive. “Inflation remains sticky,” Kenny Polcari, chief market strategist at Slatestone Wealth, told Reuters. Reuters
Bank ring-fencing rules could be on the table for change. Reuters said Saturday that the UK government may put out proposals as early as Monday to relax the rules that split retail banking from investment banking after 2008. Sky News reported that the planned shift could allow big banks to share more services between ring-fenced and non-ring-fenced divisions, which might reduce costs.
HSBC faces a cautious to neutral Monday market call, while the broader FTSE 100 is seen soft unless bond yields drop before the open. Traders are focused on Friday’s 1,312.80 pence low for HSBC and Thursday’s 1,350 pence close. Staying above the Friday low would keep the range tight, but slipping below 1,300 pence would put more pressure on the private-credit angle.
The weekend could be a worry for HSBC instead of a relief. New losses in private credit, oil pushing inflation higher, or another surge in yields may pressure the bank’s value. HSBC has warned its downside stress cases might cut profit before tax by a mid-to-high single-digit percentage and unmitigated, could pull return on tangible equity under its 17% goal.
