HSBC Holdings, Europe’s biggest bank, reported a pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion for the first half of the year, down by 0.4% from last year but still surpassing expectations. Outgoing CEO Noel Quinn, who steps down in September after five years in the job, announced the results today, which were well-received by investors. One of the major highlights of the results was the announcement of a $3…
