Europes biggest bank HSBC announced a 96.6 percent take-up Sunday for its 17.7 billion dollar rights issue announced last month after a plunge in profits.
The rights issue was hailed as a success by HSBC group chairman Stephen Green,who added he was confident the company remained well-placed despite the world financial crisis.
HSBC outlined its plan for a record British rights issue in March when it reported a 70 per cent plunge in annual net profits. It has refused British government financial assistance in contrast to rivals like Royal Bank of Scotland.
It offered investors five new shares at a heavily-discounted price of 254 pence each for every 12 they already own.


