REPORT: HSBC profit falls 86% on Brazil disposal

HSBC's third-quarter profits have fallen sharply after it booked a loss from the sale of its Brazilian unit.

Pre-tax profit at Europe's largest bank dropped to $843m (£678m), down from $6.1bn in the same period a year ago.

  

HSBC took a $1.7bn loss on the sale of its Brazilian unit, and it also pointed to customer compensation in America and currency moves for the fall in profits.

But adjusted profit, which excluded one-off costs, rose 7% to $5.6bn, higher than analysts had expected.

HSBC is the last of the UK's major banks to report quarterly results, after Lloyds, RBS and Barclays posted better-than-expected profits for the period.

Chief executive Stuart Gulliver said: "Reported profits were down, but adjusted profits were higher than last year's third quarter in all four global businesses and four out of five regions."

David Cumming, head of UK equities at Standard Life, said HSBC's results were "slightly above consensus", with costs a bit better than expected and its investment banking reasonably strong.

The bigger question for investors, he said, was who would replace Mr Gulliver as chief executive and chairman Douglas Flint.

"The key here is we get some outside blood into the organisation to liven up what is perceived as a relatively slow-moving and bureaucratic culture," Mr Cumming said.

HSBC shares rose 2% in Hong Kong after the results were published.