Issue of Bonds to Raise £600m for Funding Growth

Standard Chartered PLC
6 March 2000



                  NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES

    Standard Chartered raising approximately £600 million to fund growth
                                opportunities


Standard  Chartered intends to raise capital to enhance the Group's  capacity
for  acquisitions and business growth.  The Group is committed  to  expanding
and  developing  its  geographical presence, as  well  as  strengthening  its
customer base and product range.

Standard  Chartered believes that the emerging markets currently  offer  many
opportunities  for  growth, both organically and through  acquisition.   This
capital will enable the Group to take advantage of opportunities as and  when
they arise.

Standard  Chartered is launching two financing transactions  which  emphasise
Standard Chartered's intention to maintain its capital strength and to  bring
appropriate  structures to the market where they add  value  to  the  Group's
strategy for capital raising

-    an  issue  of  E500  million  (approximately  £300  million  equivalent)
     subordinated  guaranteed convertible bonds which will count  as  Tier  2
     capital prior to conversion; and
-    an  issue  of E500 million (approximately £300 million equivalent)  non-
     cumulative  perpetual preferred securities which will count  as  Tier  1
     capital.

Rana  Talwar, Group Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered said 'We  are
excited  by the opportunities for investment to develop our unique franchise.
Our  capital strength has allowed us to emerge stronger from the  turmoil  in
Asia.   We  intend to maintain this strength as the economies in  the  region
rebound and we pursue our growth strategy'.
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Press Enquiries:

Standard Chartered PLC
Pamela McGann, Group Head of External Affairs        Tel: [phone]
Tim Halford, Director of Corporate Affairs           Tel: [phone]
Stephen Seagrove, Group Investor Relations Manager   Tel: [phone]

J. Henry Schroder & Co. Limited                      Tel: [phone]
Robin Blunden
Chris Jillings
Matthew Whittell

Goldman Sachs International                          Tel: [phone]
Chris French
Jim Ziperski

Issue of Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Securities

Standard Chartered proposes to issue E500 million (approximately £300 million
equivalent) of non-cumulative perpetual preferred securities (the  'Preferred
Securities')  which  will count as Tier 1 capital.  The Preferred  Securities
will be issued out of a Delaware subsidiary and will be callable, subject  to
the  consent  of  the  Financial Services Authority, at  par  in  2010.   The
structure also includes the innovative stock settlement feature seen  several
times this year in the European institutional market, which allows investors,
if  the  Preferred  Securities are not called  in  2010,  to  exchange  their
Preferred  Securities  at that time for proceeds from an  issue  of  ordinary
shares (the 'Ordinary Shares') of Standard Chartered PLC (the 'Company').  As
previously  announced,  the joint bookrunners and  joint  lead  managers  are
Goldman Sachs International and Lehman Brothers and the co-lead managers  are
Barclays Capital and Cazenove.  Standard Chartered Bank will act as a selling
agent.

An  international  roadshow  is  expected  to  take  place  during  the  week
commencing 6 March, with launch and pricing following shortly thereafter.

Issue of Subordinated Guaranteed Convertible Bonds

Standard Chartered proposes to issue E500 million (approximately £300 million
equivalent) of subordinated guaranteed convertible bonds (the 'Bonds').   The
Bonds  will  be  issued  by  Standard Chartered  Finance  (Jersey)  Ltd  (the
'Issuer'), guaranteed on a subordinated basis by Standard Chartered Bank  and
convertible  into exchangeable redeemable preference shares (the  'Preference
Shares')  in the Issuer which will automatically and immediately be exchanged
for Ordinary Shares in Standard Chartered PLC.

Schroders  and  Goldman Sachs International are the joint lead  managers  and
joint  bookrunners  of the Bonds.  Standard Chartered  Bank  will  act  as  a
selling agent.

The  Bonds will bear interest at a rate currently expected to be in the range
of  4.50  per cent. to 5.00 per cent. payable semi-annually in arrear  on  30
March and 30 September in each year.  The first interest payment will be made
on  30  September  2000  in  respect of the  period  from  the  closing  date
(inclusive) to 30 September 2000 (exclusive).

The  holder  of  each  Bond  will be entitled to convert  such  Bond  into  a
Preference  Share in the Issuer, which will automatically and immediately  be
exchanged for Ordinary Shares in Standard Chartered PLC, at any time until 23
March 2010.  The exchange price will be fixed at between 23 per cent. and  28
per  cent. above the prevailing reference price of the Ordinary Shares at the
time  of pricing.  The conversion and exchange rights in respect of the Bonds
and  the share exchange rights in respect of the Ordinary Shares to be issued
in  exchange  for  the Preference Shares upon conversion  of  the  Bonds  are
guaranteed by Standard Chartered PLC.

The issue price of the Bonds is 100 per cent.  Unless previously converted or
redeemed,  the  Bonds will be redeemed at par on 30 March 2010.   The  Issuer
may,  subject to the consent of the Financial Services Authority  redeem  the
Bonds at par at any time from 15 April 2005.

The Bonds will be available in bearer form in denominations of E1,000.

Application  has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the Bonds  to  be
admitted  to  the Official List.  It is expected that official dealings  will
commence  on or about 20 March 2000.  Prior to the official listing, dealings
will be permitted by the London Stock Exchange in accordance with its rules.

None  of  the Preferred Securities, the Bonds and the Preference Shares  have
been nor will be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 (as amended).
The  Bonds  are  in  bearer form and are subject to US tax law  requirements.
Subject  to certain exceptions, none of the Preferred Securities,  the  Bonds
and the Preference Shares may be offered, sold or delivered within the Untied
States or to US persons.

In connection with the Bonds, Schroders may over-allot or effect transactions
which stabilise or maintain the market price of the Bonds and/or the Ordinary
Shares  of  Standard  Chartered  PLC at a level  which  might  not  otherwise
prevail.  Such stabilising, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

This press release does not constitute an offer of, or an invitation by or on
behalf of Standard Chartered PLC, Standard Chartered Bank, Standard Chartered
Finance  (Jersey)  Limited, Standard Chartered Capital Trust  I  or  Standard
Chartered Capital I L.P. or any of the managers named herein to subscribe for
or purchase, any of the Preferred Securities or the Bonds.