Asia PR News

CHICAGO Ill., and LONDON, June 28 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

HSBC gains sponsored institutional order flow from
both firms’ international clients

Townsend Analytics (http://www.townsendanalytics.com), a leading provider
of multi-broker, multi-asset, multi-currency, and multi-route electronic
trading solutions for the global capital markets, has added HSBC to its global
multi-broker network.

Clients of both HSBC and Townsend are now able to route order flow directly
to HSBC’s Block, Program & Direct Market Access (DMA) trading desks in 25
countries, which provide client access to over 130 cash and derivative
exchanges globally, with a strong focus on Asian, European, Middle East and
other Emerging markets.

Kevin Bourne, Global Head of Execution Trading for HSBC, comments that "We
are pleased to be part of the Townsend Analytics network. Townsend’s
full-featured RealTick EMS also provides the ability to send managed orders to
HSBC’s sales trading desk for more efficient routing."

"We are proud that such a leader in electronic trading as HSBC has joined
our global connectivity network," comments Michel Finzi, Global head of sales,
account management and marketing for Townsend Analytics. "This further delivers
on our mission to provide our clients with an ever-growing range of markets and
asset classes, and a greater choice of execution venues throughout the world."

As part of the integration, Townsend has also certified order flow with
HSBC to their internal OMS via FIX, providing for seamless reporting of trade
executions. The new multi-broker link with HSBC supports multiple order types,
including market orders, limit orders, cancels, cancel/replace, unsolicited
cancels, trade busts, and Good-til-Cancels (GTCs).

About RealTick
RealTick, created by Townsend Analytics, is the electronic trading
industry’s premier multi-asset, multi-broker, and multi-route direct-access
trading platform. RealTick delivers real-time market data, news and analytics;
sophisticated trading tools; unrivaled access to brokers, exchanges and ECNs;
and risk management tools to institutions, broker-dealers and individual
investors. RealTick’s advanced technical design is supported by
state-of-the-art data centers and a redundant network for market data and
orders. For more information, visit http://www.realtick.com

*RealTick is a registered trademark of Townsend Analytics, Ltd.

About Townsend Analytics
Townsend Analytics has been changing the way the world trades since 1985.
The Chicago-based company created many technology innovations that are now
considered standards in the financial services industry. These include the
first real-time financial software under Microsoft Windows(R); the first
product to provide real-time streaming data over the Internet; the first
integrated solution for NASDAQ trading rooms; and the first Windows-based
direct-access trading solution. Townsend Analytics also developed Archipelago
and the Archipelago Exchange, the nation’s first all-electronic, fully open
exchange. The firm has engineered direct-access solutions for money managers,
asset managers, hedge funds and mutual funds worldwide. The firm’s four main
lines of business include Trading Services, Content Services, Exchange
Services, and Risk Management Services. Townsend Analytics, Ltd. is a wholly
owned, independently-operated subsidiary of Lehman Brothers. For more
information, visit http://www.taltrade.com

About HSBC
HSBC Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets (CIBM) provides tailored
financial products and services to major government, corporate and
institutional clients. Within client-focused business lines, Global Banking and
Global Markets, CIBM offers a full range of capabilities, including foreign
exchange, fixed income, equities, derivatives, risk advisory, corporate and
investment banking, equity sales and trading, and equity and debt capital
markets. For more information on CIBM, please visit http://www.hsbcnet.com

HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Holdings plc serves over 125 million customers worldwide through some
10,000 offices in 82 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific
region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of USD 1,861
billion at 31 December 2006, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and
financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s
local bank’.

SOURCE: HSBC; Townsend Analytics

CONTACT: Anne Aldrich,
+1-312-787-1642,
annea1@covad.net,

for Townsend Analytics; or

Todd Swearingen of Townsend Analytics,
+1-312-442-8656,
tswearingen@taltrade.com; or

Charles Clarke,
Corporate Communications Manager of HSBC,
+44(0)20-7991-3878
charles.w.clarke@hsbcib.com

Web site: http://www.hsbcnet.com
http://www.townsendanalytics.com
http://www.taltrade.com
http://www.realtick.com