General terms and conditions

By accessing the pages of this website other than the HSBCnet E-Channel (the 'Site'), you agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. If you register to access the HSBCnet E-Channel, your use of the HSBCnet E-Channel shall be governed by the HSBCnet E-Channel Terms and Conditions. Before using this Site, you should read carefully the Terms and Conditions.

This Site is operated by HSBC Bank plc. HSBC Bank plc is incorporated in England and Wales and established at 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ which is its registered office. HSBC Bank Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Registration Number 114216). HSBC Bank plc's registered VAT Number is GB 365684514 and its Company Register Number is 14259.

HSBC Bank plc is a member of the Financial Ombudsman Scheme and subscribes to the Banking Code and the Business Banking Code which may be accessed at http://www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk.

In this document:

• References to 'you', 'your' and 'yours' are references to you, the person(s) accessing this Site.
• References to 'we', 'us' and 'our' are references to HSBC Bank plc.
• References to the 'HSBC Group' means HSBC Holdings plc, its subsidiaries and associated companies from time to time.
• References to 'HSBCnet E-Channel' are references to the secure pages of this website which require a username and password in order to access them.
• References to 'HSBCnet E-Channel Terms and Conditions' are references to the terms and conditions which govern the use of the HSBCnet E-Channel.
• References to 'market information' on this Site refer to market and research related services. Market information includes, but is not restricted to, global research, bonds offerings, market data, market commentary and trading ideas.
• References to 'Terms and Conditions' shall mean the General Terms and Conditions and the Specific Terms and Conditions (each as defined below).

Order of precedence

The terms and conditions in this document shall be referred to as the 'General Terms and Conditions'. If you are accessing this Site from any of the countries listed under the section 'Country Clauses', your use of the Site may be subject to additional terms and conditions ('Country Clauses'), which shall be deemed to be incorporated in the General Terms and Conditions. These can be viewed by clicking the link to the relevant country listed below.

The Privacy and Data Protection Statement (including the Cookie Policy) can be viewed by clicking on the link listed below and shall also be deemed to be incorporated in the General Terms and Conditions.

From this Site we may provide information or hyperlinks to other websites or pages which may be subject to their own specific terms and conditions including disclaimers ('Specific Terms and Conditions').

To the extent that there is any conflict between any of the Terms and Conditions, the following shall be the order of precedence in relation to such conflict:

1. Specific Terms and Conditions;
2. Country Clauses; and
3. General Terms and Conditions.

Note that particular products and services provided by any member of the HSBC Group may have their own terms and conditions which will form the legal agreement between you and that member of the HSBC Group. You should carefully read such terms and conditions before obtaining the product or service from that member of the HSBC Group.

We may change the Terms and Conditions at any time by updating these pages. You agree to review any applicable terms and conditions regularly and that your use of any part of this Site will be subject to any such changes once they are made.

Availability of the site, products and services

The content, including layout, of this Site or products or services available via this Site may be wholly or partially suspended, withdrawn or changed at any time. We reserve the right at any time to immediately suspend the provision of all or any part of this Site to you and/or block your access to this Site.

The provision of financial services or products

Not all the products and services that you may be able to view via the Site are available in all geographical locations. The relevant HSBC Group member reserves the right to make the final determination on whether or not you are eligible for any particular product or service.

Market information

Market information services are not intended to provide professional advice and should not be relied upon in that regard. Persons accessing these pages are advised to obtain appropriate professional advice where necessary. No consideration has been given to the particular investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any recipient.

Market information is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. Market information is obtained from sources believed to be reliable but which has not been independently verified; no guarantee, representation or warranty is made and no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness is accepted.

Reliance on information

Expressions of opinion are those of HSBC only and are subject to change without notice. Information or opinions contained on this Site do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation, or offer to buy, any securities or financial instruments or investment advice or any advice or recommendation in respect of such securities or other financial instruments.

Should you seek to rely in any way whatsoever upon any content contained on this Site, you do so at your own risk.

The information on this Site is based on understanding of current law, regulation and tax practice at the time of going to press. Future changes in law, regulation, or tax practice could affect the information on this Site.

Before you make any decision or take any action that might affect you or your personal finances or business, you should always consult a suitably qualified professional adviser(s) to obtain appropriate financial, legal, accounting, tax and other advice.

Investment performance

Please note that the value of investments and the income derived from them may fluctuate and an investor may not receive back the amount originally invested. Where past performance is shown it refers to the past and should not be seen as an indication of future performance. The value and any income arising from any investment referred to on this Site may go down as well as up. In particular you may not get back the full amount invested. Where overseas securities are held, the rate of exchange may cause the value of the investment to go up as well as down. Any forecast, projection or target is indicative only and is not guaranteed in any way. We accept no liability for any failure to meet such a forecast, projection or target.

In the case of investments for which there is not a recognised market it may be difficult for investors to sell their investment or to obtain reliable information about its value or the extent of the risks to which it is exposed.

Interest by HSBC group members

Members of the HSBC Group and/or their officers, directors and employees may own or have positions in any securities mentioned in this Site (or in any related investment) and may from time to time add to or dispose of any such securities (or investment).

Members of the HSBC Group may act as market maker or have assumed an underwriting commitment in the securities of companies discussed in this Site (or in any related investment).

HSBC may sell securities to or buy them from customers on a principal basis and may also perform or seek to perform investment banking or underwriting services for or relating to those companies. This material may not be reproduced or further distributed, in whole or in part, for any purpose.

No warranties

Other than the warranties and representations contained in the Terms and Condition, all other warranties and representations, whether express, implied or statutory are, to the fullest extent permitted by the law, excluded. The use of the Site is at your sole risk.

While we have taken reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy, currency, availability correctness and completeness of the information contained on the Site, information is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.

We do not represent or warrant that the Site will be available and meet your requirements, that access will be uninterrupted, that there will be no delays, failures, errors or omissions or loss of transmitted information, that no viruses or other contaminating or destructive properties will be transmitted or that no damage will occur to your computer system. You have sole responsibility for adequate protection and back up of data and/or equipment and for undertaking reasonable and appropriate precautions to scan for computer viruses or other destructive properties.

We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, functionality or performance of any third party software that may be used in connection with the Site.

Passwords and security

In order to use the Site or one or more parts of it, you may be required to become a registered user. In order to become a registered user you will need one or more of the following, namely, registered username, password, security device, other security identifier ('Password') in accordance with our procedures in place from time to time.

You must tell us immediately of any unauthorised access to the Site using your Password or any unauthorised transaction or instruction which you know of, or if you suspect someone else knows your Password.

You are wholly responsible for use of the Site by any person using your Password. We reserve the right to suspend access to the Site in the event that we suspect that an unauthorised person is attempting to access the Site using your Password.

Third party sites and endorsements

Where we provide hypertext links to other locations on the internet, we do so for information purposes only. We are not responsible for the content of any websites or pages of third parties linked to or from this Site. Following links to any websites or pages of third parties shall be at your own risk. We shall not be responsible or liable for any damages or in any other way in connection with such linking of those websites or pages.

Links to third party downloadable software sites are for convenience only and we are not responsible nor are we liable for any difficulties or consequences associated with downloading that software. You are responsible for obtaining all necessary authorisations to use such software and we give no implied licence or warranty in relation to the obtaining of or use of such software whatsoever.

No endorsement, approval or responsibility for appropriateness of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressed or implied by any information on this Site or by any hyperlinks to or from any third party websites or pages.

Links to our site

Neither you nor any other party may use any part of this Site on any other website, or link any other website to this Site, without our prior written permission. We are not responsible for the set up of any link from a third party website to our Site.

Intellectual property rights

All intellectual property rights (including, without limitation, copyright, database rights, design rights, patents and trademarks) in this Site are owned by or licensed to us unless otherwise stated.

HSBC and the hexagon logo are trademarks of HSBC Holdings plc and all rights and benefits in them vest in HSBC Holdings plc.

You may print, copy, download or temporarily store extracts from this Site for your personal use or to help you use our products and services. You must not alter any extract obtained from this Site in any form. Any other use is prohibited unless you first get our written permission. Without limiting the above, unless you first get our written consent, you may not reproduce, modify, adapt, transmit, publish, broadcast, create derivative works of, store, archive or in any way exploit all or any part of this Site.

Internet and e-mail communications

Messages sent over the internet (including e-mail) cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure as they are subject to possible interception, monitoring, delay, loss or alteration.

Neither we nor any other member of the HSBC Group are responsible for any such messages nor liable to you or anyone else for any damages or otherwise in connection with any messages sent by you to us or any other party or any messages sent or appearing to be sent by us or any third party to you over the internet (including e-mail). You should not include any sensitive or confidential information in such messages.

Our monitoring of communications

To help us improve our service and in the interest of security, we may monitor and/or record communications (whether over the Internet, telephone or otherwise) between you and us. All recordings are our sole property.

Miscellaneous

Any notice to be given under these Terms and Conditions must be communicated by post, telex, email or facsimile to the address most recently notified by the receiving party. Receipt of notice shall be deemed to occur at the time when the notice would in the ordinary course be delivered or transmitted. If any part of these Terms and Conditions is found by any court or other competent authority to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable then such part shall be severed from the rest of such terms which shall continue to be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Exclusion of our liability

To the extent permitted by law, neither we nor any member of the HSBC Group shall be liable for any damage, loss or liability (whether arising in contract, tort, including negligence, or otherwise) arising out of or in connection with (a) your use of this Site; (b)your reliance on or your inability to use the information, products or services on this Site; and/or (c) any failure in performance, error, omission, interruption, defect, delay in operation or transmission, computer virus or line or system failure to this Site or your use or attempted use of it.

The above exclusions apply to any damage which is direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential or consists of loss of profits, business, opportunity or data. All of the above exclusions apply even if you have advised us or any other member of the HSBC Group of the possibility of the above types of damage, loss or liability. Nothing in these terms shall exclude or limit the liability of any member of the HSBC Group in relation to fraud, personal injury or death.

Country clauses

If you are accessing this Site from any of the following countries, the following Country Clauses shall also apply to you. The Country Clauses can be viewed by clicking the link to the relevant country listed below:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Canada
• Czech Republic
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Poland
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey

Governing law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by and are to be interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The courts in England and Wales will have non-exclusive jurisdiction in respect of any dispute which may arise in connection with the Terms and Conditions or your use of this Site.

Your queries

If you wish to contact HSBC Bank plc, please refer to the Contact Us link which can be found on each page of the Site.