FORM 6-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                        Report of Foreign Private Issuer
                    Pursuant to Rule 13a - 16 or 15d - 16 of
                      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                          For the month of December, 2007

                               HSBC Holdings plc

                              42nd Floor, 8 Canada
                        Square, London E14 5HQ, England


(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F).

                          Form 20-F X Form 40-F ......

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934).

                                Yes....... No X


(If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ..............)




The following text is the English translation of a statutory public announcement
according     to    section    15    of    the     Securities     Trading    Act
("Wertpapierhandelsgesetz")  in Germany by HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt, a 78.6 per
cent indirectly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc.




                  HSBC TRINKAUS & BURKHARDT AG ACQUIRES SHARES
                      OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTION SERVICES

HSBC  Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG has agreed to acquire 49 per cent of the shares of
International  Transaction Services GmbH from T-Systems Enterprise Services GmbH
with  effect  from 1  January  2008.  The  gross  asset  value of  International
Transaction  Services  GmbH was  EUR61.2  million as of 31  December  2006.  The
acquisition  is subject to the  approval of the  supervisory  board of T-Systems
Enterprise Services GmbH.

International  Transaction Services GmbH provides securities settlement services
and was founded in 2005 as a Joint Venture by T-Systems Enterprise Services GmbH
and HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt  Gesellschaft fur Bankbeteiligungen  mbh, a wholly
owned subsidiary of HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG.

On completion of the  acquisition  HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG will own 100 per
cent of the shares in International  Transaction Services GmbH on a consolidated
basis.


Notes to editors:

1. HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG

HSBC  Trinkaus  is one of the leading  private  banks in Germany and part of the
globally-operating  HSBC Group.  In  addition to the head office in  Dusseldorf,
HSBC  Trinkaus  is  represented  in six  locations  in  Germany  with over 1,800
employees  and has access to the global  network of the HSBC  Group.  With total
assets of EUR21.8  billion* and EUR86.3  billion in funds under  management  and
administration*, the bank has a Fitch IBCA rating of AA-. The core target groups
are private clients,  corporate clients and institutional clients.  *(figures as
at 30 September 2007).

Copies  of  all  the  bank's  news   releases  can  be  found  on  the  homepage
www.hsbctrinkaus.de.

2. HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc serves over 125 million  customers  worldwide  through  around
10,000  offices in 83 countries  and  territories  in Europe,  the  Asia-Pacific
region, the Americas,  the Middle East and Africa.  With assets of some US$2,150
billion  at 30  June  2007,  HSBC  is one of the  world's  largest  banking  and
financial  services  organisations.  HSBC is marketed  worldwide as 'the world's
local bank'.


                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                               HSBC Holdings plc

                                                By:
                                                Name:  P A Stafford
                                                Title: Assistant Group Secretary
                                                Date:  05 December 2007