Market Chatter: HSBC Reaches Settlement in French Tax Fraud Case on Dividend Payments

08:51 AM EST, 01/08/2026 (MT Newswires) -- HSBC (HSBA.L) agreed to a 267.5 million-euro settlement deal with the French treasury to resolve a case linked to a so-called cum-ex dividend stripping scheme, Reuters reported Thursday, citing the French financial prosecutor's office. A Paris court approved the settlement, ending the prosecutor's probe into the British bank's alleged tax fraud on dividend payments between 2014 and 2019. The investigation involved several banks in France. The settlement does not include an admission of guilt nor have the effects of a conviction under the French criminal code, the report noted. HSBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)