HSBC Plans to Unload More Properties

HSBC Holdings PLC said Wednesday that it is moving closer to selling the last two major corporate buildings it has put on the block in recent months.

The U.K. bank said it is in exclusive talks with an unidentified French real estate fund to sell and leaseback for an initial nine-year period two buildings in Paris.

The properties have 357,000 square feet combined. No price was mentioned.

Last month, HSBC announced the sale of its New York headquarters to the Israeli investment holding company IDB Group for $330 million.

HSBC, which has weathered the financial crisis better than many peers, has said the sales are part of its active property management program.

According to property analysts, HSBC could be fetching attractive prices for the buildings at a time when there are fewer prime commercial properties on the block.

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