HSBC is in line to win an advisory role to the French government on the sale of its remaining shares in three partially privatised motorway firms. The planned sales, which are set to raise up to €11bn ($13.3bn), are due to take place in the next eight to 10 months.

The French government is planning to sell all its stakes in three listed road companies, Autoroutes du Sud de la France (where it owns 51%), Societe des Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhone (where it has 70%) and Societe des Autoroutes du Nord et de l'Est de la France (74%).