--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

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 : CAPM-Project Evaluation and Risk

    UCD Vet Products – a hypothetical publicly traded corporation (UCDV) — is considering investing in a new line of equine DNA analysis technology for race horse breeders. The project will yield the net cash flows listed in the table below. Assume that this p

    		•
  • 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 : Explain the definition of WACC An

    An investment bank computed my WACC. The report is as: “the definition of the WACC is defined as WACC = RF + βu (RM – RF); here RF being the risk-free rate and βu the unleveraged beta and RM the market risk rate.” It is differ from what we

    		•
  • Q : Expected return for a portfolio What is

    What is the expected return for a portfolio consisting of 200 shares of Nike, 200 shares of Home Depot, and 400 shares of Intel if their expected returns are 10%, 8% and 12% respectively, and their current prices are $25, $50, and $25 per share respec

    		•
  • Q : Bank assignment You have just been

    You have just been hired as the branch manager for a big bank in XYZ. You were told that the bank is going to open a new branch at Island Learning Centre of the Open University of XYZ. The management of the bank is much concerned that the new branch might not be able

    		•
  • Q : Who were the creators of uncertain

    Who were the creators of uncertain volatility model?

    		•
  • Q : Abnormal profits based on fundamental

    If it is possible to make abnormal profits based on fundamental analysis, you can conclude that the market is: A) Not weak-form efficientB) Weak-form efficientC) Not semi-strong-form efficientD) Semi-strong-form e

    		•
  • Q : Explain Straddle and Strangle Straddle

    Straddle & Strangle: In the case of shorting butterfly spread, it can be seen that the gains are limited. However, there exists another strategy known as straddle which produces unlimited gains. This strategy benefits when the trader expects that

    		•
  • Q : Is depreciation is the loss of value of

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

    		•
  • Q : Explain valuation method for

    We were assigned a valuation of a pharmaceutical laboratory’ shares. Which valuation method is further convenient?

    		•