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Fitch downgrades HSBC

[December 08, 2012]  LONDON (AP) -- Fitch Ratings has cut its debt rating on HSBC Holdings PLC, saying the risks attached to its expansion into higher-risk markets such as China is no longer sufficiently mitigated.

The credit ratings agency lowered HSBC's long-term issuer default rating to AA- from AA, but revised up its outlook on Europe's biggest bank from negative to stable. Fitch added that HSBC's increasing costs of managing its diverse operations -- from legal fees to compliance and governance expenses -- will outweigh any previous benefits from the group's business and geographic diversification. Last month, HSBC said it has set aside a further $1.15 billion to cover potential U.S. fines for failing to stop money-laundering in its Mexican unit and to compensate U.K. customers for mis-selling payment protection insurance. [Associated Press] Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.