--%>

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 : Minimum annual savings problem XYZ

    XYZ Company is interested in purchasing a new corporate jet for $6 million. This will depreciate the jet completely in 5 years and then sell it for $5 million. The jet will utilize $60,000 in fuel annually, and its maintenance will be $40,000 yearly. The tax rate of X

  • Q : Explain investment of bank for

    When my company is not listed, therefore the investment banks apply an illiquidity premium. In fact, they say this is an illiquidity premium but then they call this a small cap premium. Only one of the banks, apparently based upon Tit

  • Q : Valuation & Merger analysis Problem

    Problem 21-1 Valuation Harrison Corporation is interested in acquiring Van Buren Corporation. Assume t

  • Q : Financial statements The concept of

    The concept of conservatism has been influential in the development of accounting theory and practice.  A major effect of conservatism is that accountants tend to recognize losses but not gains.  For example, when the value of an asset is impaired, it is wri

  • Q : Option Trading Strategies Explain the

    Explain the term Option Trading Strategies?

  • Q : Problem on Corp stocking Cheever Corp

    Cheever Corp stock is selling at $40 a share. Its dividend in subsequent year will be $2 a share and its β is 1.25. Crane Company has similar growth rate as Cheever. The current stock price of Crane is $55 a share, and its dividend this year is $3. The riskless r

  • Q : Difference between capitalization and

    Is the difference for the value creation in a company among the market value of the shares (capitalization) and their book value a good measure since its foundation?

  • Q : Shall we use the arithmetic mean or the

    The market risk premium is the difference between the historical return on the stock market and the return on bonds. But how many years does “historical” imply? Shall we use the arithmetic mean or the geometric one?

  • Q : Explain Butterfly Spread Strategies

    Butterfly Spread Strategies: In this strategy, there is no limit on the number of options that can be combined to form the butterfly spread. This strategy essentially combines both the bear spread and the bull spread. In this case, options with three

  • Q : Problems under Time Value of Money One

    One of the projects the US loan would fund is to build earthquake-resistant buildings. The projectwill begin in March 2013, last for two years and is expected to have the following expenditures:start-up costs of $200,000 paid at the beginning of the first month; renta