HSBC

Shares of U.K. banking group HSBC (HBC: news, chart, profile) were down 2.5 percent in mid-morning London trade. The bank posted record profits for 2004, but some concern over margin pressures in U.S. lender Household International surfaced. Douglas Flint, finance chief, told reporters that provisions for bad debts were likely to grow more quickly in the current year. "It would be imprudent to believe that we can continue at this level," he said, AFX News reported. He also downplayed further acquisitions, saying potential targets were expensive. ""At the moment, we are very happy with the organic growth opportunities that we've got," Flint said.