Holding(s) in Company

HSBC Holdings PLC
17 March 2005


NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

Section 198 - Companies Act 1985

The Company was notified today that Credit Suisse First Boston, through its
subsidiaries listed below, had a notifiable interest as at 15 March 2005 in
569,450,916 ordinary shares of US$0.50 each in HSBC Holdings plc, representing
approximately 5.08% of the ordinary shares in issue.

A copy of the letter of notification is quoted below.

N S Black

Assistant Secretary

HSBC Holdings plc



Letter to HSBC Holdings plc dated 17 March 2005 from Andrew Veasey, Director,
Equities Compliance, Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited

"Dear Sirs

HSBC Holdings plc (the "Company")

This notification relates to the ordinary shares of the Company (the "shares")
and is given in fulfilment of the obligations imposed under Section 198 of the
Companies Act 1985 (the "Act").

We hereby notify you that on 15 March 2005, following acquisitions, CSFB (as
defined below) holds the following interests in the issued share capital of the
Company:

 1. Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited ("CSFBEL"): 43,922,175 shares.
    CSFBEL is interested in these shares under section 208(5) of the act by
    virtue of the right to redelivery of equivalent securities under stock
    lending arrangements.
 2. Credit Suisse First Boston International ("CSFBi"): 187,320,282 shares.
 3. Credit Suisse First Boston (Hong Kong) Limited ("CSFBHK"): 337,789,249
    shares.
 4. Credit Suisse First Boston LLC ("CSFBLLC"): 414,160 shares.
 5. Credit Suisse First Boston Capital LLC ("CSFBC"): 5,050 shares

CSFB now holds a total interest of 569,450,916 shares being equivalent to
approximately 5.08% of the issued share capital of the Company.

CSFBi, CSFBHK, CSFBLLC, CSFBC and CSFBEL are members of the Credit Suisse First
Boston group of companies. Those group companies which are direct or indirect
holding companies of CSFBi, CSFBHK, CSFBLLC, CSFBC and CSFBEL are each
interested by attribution in any shares in which CSFBi, CSFBHK , CSFBLLC, CSFBC
and CSFBEL are interested.



Yours faithfully



Andrew Veasey

Director - Equities Compliance"






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