Press Release

Since its launch in late 2003, Household's Build Your Tomorrow^SM campaign has sparked:

• More than 54,000 consumers to obtain a complimentary online copy of their Equifax Score Power^® report, which includes their Equifax Credit Profile™, FICO^® Credit ScoreTM — the score most lenders use — and personalized score analysis valued at $12.95. Equifax partnered with Household to donate the reports during a three-month Your Credit Counts^SM Challenge.

• More than 81,000 people to take an online credit quiz during the Your Credit Counts^SM Challenge. Household awarded individuals who took the quiz with the opportunity to win 60 cash awards and a $25,000 grand prize.

• More than 216,000 people to visit the www.yourcreditcounts.com Web site for education and information about their financial health and credit rating.

"Such strong response from consumers to obtain their personal credit information certainly is encouraging," said award-winning actress Angela Bassett, who teamed with Household on the launch of the Build Your Tomorrow program last year. "Setting and maintaining personal goals helps get your finances on track, yet so many people don’t know where to begin."

As part of the Build Your Tomorrow program, Household also employed other channels to educate consumers by:

• Distributing more than $1 million to 13 community organizations in Phoenix, Ariz.; Tucson, Ariz.; Seattle, Wash.; and Columbus, Ohio. The funds will be used to provide grassroots financial education programs to groups including youth, senior citizens, and low- and middle-income families on topics such as money and credit management, banking skills and homeownership. Since 2002, Household has distributed over $3 million in grant funding to 36 local organizations in 11 cities.

• Partnering with the National Council on Economic Education and the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise to sponsor more than 100 free workshops in 2004 across the country on a wide range of personal finance topics.

• Awarding nearly 400 scholarships by Household's consumer finance companies — HFC and Beneficial — which have committed $8 million to a four-year scholarship program for customers. Qualified HFC and Beneficial customers and their dependents are eligible to receive up to $5,000 per calendar year to further their education – be it through a two- or four-year college or university program, non-degree classes or an accredited vocational, technical or certification program.

"We are committed to continuing our consumer education outreach and scholarship programs in communities across the country," said William F. Aldinger, chairman and chief executive officer of HSBC North America Holdings, Inc. "We have a long history of providing consumers with resources they need to enhance their financial futures, and Build Your Tomorrow furthers this commitment."

The Build Your Tomorrow program represents a $13 million multi-year investment by Household to educate consumers about how to build a bright financial future for themselves and their families. Partnering with national organizations and local community groups, Household is arming consumers with the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed financial decisions.

Further information about the Build Your Tomorrow program is available by contacting Household's Community Relations department at communityrelations@household.com.

About Household International Inc.

Household International, Inc., based in Prospect Heights, Ill., is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings, Inc., one of the top 10 financial services holding companies in the United States. HSBC North America Holdings, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE: HBC), one of the largest banking and financial services organizations in the world. Household's businesses are leading providers of consumer loans, credit cards, auto finance and credit insurance products in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. In the United States, Household companies operate under the two oldest and most recognized names in consumer finance - HFC and Beneficial. Additionally, Household's businesses are some of the nation's largest issuers of private label and general-purpose credit cards, including The GM Card® and the AFL-CIO's Union Plus® card. For more information, visit www.household.com.

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For more information, contact:

Mark Friedlander
HSBC North America Holdings
(847) 564-6137
mrfriedlander@household.com