HSBC plunged in Hong Kong trading after scrapping its dividend and warning revenue and loan losses will be impacted in the first quarter from the coronavirus outbreak. The bank's shares dropped over 7% bringing this year's decline to 33%. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered tumbled 5.2% after it too announced a suspension of dividends and a buyback plan.

In a statement on Tuesday, HSBC said that "we expect reported revenues to be impacted in insurance manufacturing, and credit and funding valuation adjustments in global banking & markets, alongside higher expected credit losses." The bank had earlier said in the most extreme scenario, in which the virus continues into the second half of 2020, it could see US$600 million in additional loan losses.

In order to preserve liquidity amid a global depression, European (and US) banks have been scrapping shareholder payouts to protect their capital cushions. Along with other UK banks, HSBC decided to scrap dividend payments after urging from UK regulators. The lender said it would cancel an interim dividend slated to be paid this month and also make no payouts or do any buybacks until at least the end of the year.