SAR 3 -(HSBC Global Absolute)

RNS Number:1393N
HSBC Bank PLC
03 June 2005

                                                                      FORM SAR 3


                           DISCLOSURE OF ACQUISITIONS

       (Rule 3 of The Rules Governing Substantial Acquisitions of Shares)


Name of acquirer                              HSBC Bank plc

Beneficial owner, if different 
from above

Names of any other persons acting 
by agreement or understanding 
(see SAR 5)


Company dealt in                              HSBC Global Absolute Limited

Class of voting shares (eg ordinary shares)   Sterling Hedged Participating 
                                              Redeemable Preference Shares

Date of acquisition                           24 May 2005


Number of shares acquired                     42,000

Number of rights over shares acquired #

Nature of rights over shares


Total holding of voting shares (and 
percentage of total voting shares 
in issue)                                     2,045,862 (20.279%)

Total holding of rights over shares 
(and percentage of total voting 
shares in issue)

Combined total holding (and percentage) 
of voting shares and rights over shares       2,045,862 (20.279%)


Date of disclosure                            3 June 2005

Contact name                                  Mark Juson

Telephone number                              0207 991 6583

     
#    See the definition of "rights over shares" in the Definitions Section of 
     the SARs.

For details of the SARs disclosure requirements, see SARs 3 and 5 and their
Notes which can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

SAR 3 Addendum

In addition to the above, HSBC Bank plc made the following disclosable
acquisitions in HSBC Global Absolute Limited Sterling Hedged Participating
Redeemable Preference Shares.

                                     Resultant total        Resultant total 
  Date of            Number of         holding of           percentage of 
acquisition      shares acquired      voting shares       voting shares held

5 January 2005        41,000            1,998,288                19.287%
7 February 2005       78,000            1,721,194                17.061%
3 March 2005         185,000            1,724,554                17.094%
10 March 2005        250,000            2,026,022                20.083%
14 March 2005        66,500             2,167,522                21.485%
23 March 2005        59,340             2,226,862                22.073%
26 April 2005        45,000             2,162,914                21.439%
28 April 2005       205,000             2,387,914                23.670%

                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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