HSBC to 'close or sell' Malta business: reports

HSBC has put its Malta operations under review as part of a more drastic overhaul of its businesses around the world. Malta joins a list of under-performing markets where the Asia-focused bank is reconsidering or reviewing its future. These include the United States (as reported this week), France, Turkey, Bermuda, New Zealand, Greece and the Phillipines.  Previous efforts to sell were scuppered by a lack of buyers, and HSBC decided to run a slimmed-down operation in Malta over past five years. HSBC's Maltese division employs around 1,400 staff. The bank's history stems from the Br...