Foreign Banks Eyeing Greenpoint?

Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC Holdings are being mentioned as possible suitors for Greenpoint Financial, New York, the nation's 18th-largest residential lender, sources have told MortgageWire.Investment banking sources told MW they have heard rumors concerning Greenpoint, but have yet to see an offering book on the thrift or its mortgage affiliate, Greenpoint Mortgage Funding of Novato, Calif. The London-based HSBC already has a large presence in the U.S. mortgage market and owns Household International, the largest residential subprime servicer in the United States. HSBC Mortgage, Depew, N.Y., is the nation's 16th-largest residential lender. (HSBC is also a large warehouse provider.) Over the past week, Greenpoint's shares have been trading near their 52-week high of $45.10 a share. In trading on Monday its share price was up slightly.