It was an everyday kind of quarter for HSBC: superficially healthy earnings were undermined by a $1.6bn charge to cover a long list of fines, provisions and compensation bills. By way of variation on a theme, there was news of a possible criminal investigation over tax matters in France. . .

http://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2014/nov/03/nils-pratley-business-hsbc-standard-chartered-ryanair