Diversification is the watchword for international exchanges these days and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing – widely regarded as among the most well-positioned bourses globally – is no different.

Today, the D-word, used so frequently by the likes of Nasdaq OMX Group, the London Stock Exchange Group and Deutsche Börse, could be heard echoing round the HKEx's auditorium as chief executive Charles Li explained to journalists and analysts why the HKEx's financial results for full year 2013 are more complex than in previous years.