The HSBC Holdings subsidiary expanded its commercial banking customer base by focusing on those with cross-border needs which led to an 84% leap in pre-tax profit to $US68 million, the bank said in a statement on Thursday. The standout performance came from HSBC Australia's global banking and markets division which more than doubled its pre-tax profit to $US102 million - up 143% on the 2007 result. By contrast, the bank's personal financial services unit saw its pre-tax profit halve even as it grew its high net worth customer base by 76% and grew credit card market share partly through the September 2008 issue of the white-label Woolworths' Everyday Money credit card.