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 March, 2009

 

HSBC Holdings plc

42^nd 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- ..............).

 

27 March 2009

HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
FOURTH INTERIM DIVIDEND FOR 2008
SCRIP DIVIDEND ALTERNATIVE

On 2 March 2009, the Directors of HSBC Holdings plc declared a fourth interim dividend for 2008 of US$0.10 per ordinary share payable on 6 May 2009 to shareholders on the Register on 20 March 2009. The dividend is payable in cash in United States dollars, sterling or Hong Kong dollars, or a combination of these currencies, with a scrip dividend alternative. The ‘Market Value’ for the issue of new shares under the scrip dividend alternative is:
 

US$5.6847 for each new share

The ‘Market Value’ is the United States dollar equivalent of £3.907 being the average of the middle market quotations for the ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as derived from the Daily Official List for the five business days beginning on 20 March 2009.
 
Dividends payable in cash in sterling or Hong Kong dollars on 6 May 2009 will be converted from United States dollars at the forward exchange rates quoted by HSBC Bank plc in London at or about 11.00 am on 27 April 2009. These exchange rates will be announced to the London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges.
 
Particulars of the dividend arrangements will be mailed to shareholders on or about 31 March 2009, and elections must be received by the Registrars by 23 April 2009.
 
P A Stafford
Deputy Group Company Secretary
HSBC Holdings plc

Note to editors:

HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 9,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,527 billion at 31 December 2008, 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: March 27, 2009