HSBC’s investment bank swells thanks to Basel

HSBC reported a year on year surge in its investment bank balance sheet this week, with loans and advances growing 20% to $303bn and risk weighted assets swelling 25% to $537bn. At group level, lending grew 12% to $1.047tr and risk weighted assets grew 13% to $1.248tr — increases entirely accounted for by the investment bank's growth, offset by balance sheet shrinkage in other areas, notably retail banking and wealth management.