Hang Seng Bank's Net Interest Margins May Have Peaked but Easing Likely To Be Gradual

Hang Seng Bank has a track record of prudently managing risks and lending conservatively that enabled it to emerge unscathed from the Asian financial crisis of 25 years ago and the global financial crisis. Unlike most of its peers, it did not need to raise equity at a discount to repair its balance sheet after 2008. The bank's cost-efficient operations are supported by a large deposit base, mainly from low-cost current and savings accounts, and its profitability in Hong Kong has consistently outperformed most of its peers.