FORM 6
FORM 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a - 16 or 15d - 16
of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of May, 2008
HSBC Holdings plc
42nd Floor, 8 Canada Square, London
E14 5HQ, England
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F).
Form 20-F X
Form 40-F
......
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the
information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934).
Yes.......
No X
(If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file
number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-
..............).
FIRST INTERIM DIVIDEND FOR 2008
SCRIP DIVIDEND ALTERNATIVE
On 6 May 2008, the Directors of HSBC Holdings plc declared a first interim dividend
for 2008 of US$0.18 per ordinary share payable on 9 July 2008 to shareholders on
the Register on 23 May 2008. The dividend is payable in cash in
United States
dollars, sterling or
Hong Kong
dollars, or a combination of these currencies, with a scrip dividend
alternative. The "Market Value" for the issue of new shares under the scrip
dividend alternative is:
US$16.8421 for each new share
.
The "Market Value" is the
United States
dollar equivalent of £8.519 being the average of the middle market
quotations for the ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as derived from the
Daily Official List for the five business days beginning on 21 May 2008 (the day on
which the shares were first quoted ex-dividend).
Dividends payable in cash in sterling or Hong Kong dollars on 9 July 2008 will be
converted from
United States
dollars at the forward exchange rates quoted by HSBC Bank plc in
London
at or about 11.00 am on 30 June 2008. These exchange rates will be announced
to the
London
,
Hong Kong
,
New York
,
Paris
and
Bermuda
stock exchanges.
Particulars of the dividend arrangements will be mailed to shareholders on or
about
3 June 2008, and elections must be received by the Registrars by 25 June 2008.
Media enquires to Brendan McNamara on +44 (0) 20 7991 0655 or
at
brendan.mcnamara@hsbc.com
HSBC Holdings plc serves over 125 million customers worldwide through around
10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific
region, the
Americas
, the Middle East and
Africa
. With assets of some US$2,
354
billion at 3
1
December
2007, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services
organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
HSBC Holdings plc
By:
Name:
P A Stafford
Title:
Assistant Group Secretary
Date:
May 29, 2008