--%>

Commercial Banking Assignment

Part I

Guidelines and requirements: The questions in Part I of this assignment are based on the materials covered in Units 1 and 2. Please write a short-essay answer to each question.

Question 1

You have just been hired as a branch manager for a large bank in Hong Kong. You were told that the bank is going to open a new branch at the Island Learning Centre of the Open University of Hong Kong in Sheung Wan. The management of the bank is concerned that the new branch may not be able to attract enough customers to meet its profit projection. Your task is to recommend the various services the bank should offer initially to build an adequate customer base. The following is a list of the services the branch could offer:

  • current accounts
  • savings deposits
  • security underwriting
  • personal trust management services
  • retirement savings plans
  • venture capital loans
  • plant and equipment loans
  • automobile loans
  • residential real estate loans
  • home improvement loans.

a List five types of information you will need about the local community to help you decide which of many possible services are likely to have sufficient demand to make them profitable. Explain

your answer briefly. b Divide the possible services into two groups: those you think should be offered opening day and those you believe can be offered later as bank grows. Explain your answer. 2 FIN B381 Commercial Banking

 

Question 2

For a better understanding of banking industry, it is important to look at the environment in which commercial banks operate. Production expansion and globalization are two major forces reshaping the banking industry today. The following two questions are related to these two issues. a Describe one of the new banking services offered to customers by many local banks. Discuss the potential benefits and challenges to these banks that are brought about by the introduction of this new service. (15 marks)

b Hong Kong is an international financial centre and many foreign banks want to establish their presence in the city. In view of public welfare, should the government impose more restrictions against? the entry of foreign banks into Hong Kong? Explain the rationale behind your answer. 

Part II

Guidelines and requirements: There is only one question in this part. The question is designed to provide a platform not only to show that you know and understand the material, but that you can use it to analyse situations. Therefore, your answer will be graded on the basis of completeness, justification and presentation skill. So be sure you keep these criteria in mind as you prepare your answers. Good luck!

 

Question 3

Read the article 'Back in expansion mode' on the following pages and answer the following questions:

a List out five business areas that local banks are turning to in search of profits. Describe each business area briefly and evaluate the prospect of growth in each area critically.

b In the article, Monica Ng, Assurance Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Hong Kong said, 'the smaller banks are at risk of losing out to their larger counterparts.' Please explain the challenges faced by smaller banks and suggest way to overcome these challenges. 

   Related Questions in Corporate Finance

  • Q : Calculate a positive net income for a

    Is this possible for a company with a positive net income and that does not distribute dividends to get itself in suspension of payments?

  • Q : Calculate valuation realized by

    Is a valuation realized through a prestigious investment bank a scientifically approved result that any investor could utilize as a reference?

  • Q : Define Project Financing Project

    Project Financing: It is the procedure of determining how to go around obtaining the resources needed in managing the costs related with the launch and continuing operation of a project. Whereas this procedure sometimes comprises the re-allocation of

  • Q : Which capital structure must consider

    Which capital structure must we consider when estimating the WACC for a subsidiary valuation: the one which is reasonable according to the risk of the subsidiary’s business that the average of the company or the one the subsidiary as “tolerates/per

  • Q : Relation between book value of shares

    Is the relation in between book value of shares or capitalization a good guide to investments?

  • Q : What are capital investment The capital

    The capital investment appraisal techniques such as NPV, IRR, ARR, PV and Time value of money have become irrelevant post Celtic Tiger. Due to the depth of the recession companies do not have budgets to invest. Discus First use this information when you are writing this essay: 1.&

  • Q : Is depreciation is the loss of value of

    Is the depreciation is the loss of value of fixed assets?

  • Q : What impacts have on value of a

    What impacts have on the value of a business of high inflation?

  • Q : Illustrates beta and capital structure

    We are valuing a company, many smaller than ours, so as to buy it. As that company is too smaller than ours this will have no influence on the capital structure and at the risk of the resulting company. It is the reason why I believe this the beta and the capital stru

  • Q : Relationship between the preferred

    Quetion: A private equity fund invests $100 million into a portfolio company and receives 100% of the preferred stock and 80% of the common stock of the company.  The preferred stock carries a face value of $1