DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS
WITHOUT RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS, OR WITH RI STATUS
BUT NOT DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY
(Rule 38.5(b) of the Takeover Code)
1. KEY INFORMATION
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Name of exempt principal trader | HSBC Bank plc |
|------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Company dealt in | Rio Tinto Plc |
|------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Class of relevant security to which the | Ordinary Shares |
| dealings being disclosed relate (Note 1) | |
|------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Date of dealing | 1st October 2008 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
2. INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE
(a) Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the
class of relevant security dealt in (Note 2)
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | Long | Short |
| | | |
|---------------+-------------------------------------+----------------------------------|
| |Number |Number |
| | (%) | (%) |
|---------------+-------------------------------------+----------------------------------|
|(1) Relevant |44,300 | |
|securities |(0.00%) | |
| | | |
|---------------+-------------------------------------+----------------------------------|
|(2) Derivatives| | |
|(other than | | |
|options) | | |
| | | |
|---------------+-------------------------------------+----------------------------------|
|(3) Options and| | |
|agreements to | | |
|purchase/sell | | |
| | | |
|---------------+-------------------------------------+----------------------------------|
|Total |44,300 | |
| |(0.00%) | |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
(b) Interests and short positions in relevant securities of
the company, other than the class dealt in (Note 2)
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Class of | Long | Short |
|relevant | | |
|security: | | |
| | | |
|---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------|
| |Number |Number |
| | (%) | (%) |
|---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------|
|(1) Relevant | | |
|securities | | |
| | | |
|---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------|
|(2) Derivatives| | |
|(other than | | |
|options) | | |
| | | |
|---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------|
|(3) Options and| | |
|agreements to | | |
|purchase/sell | | |
| | | |
|---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------|
|Total | | |
| | | |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
(c) Rights to subscribe (Note 2)
+---------------------------------------+
| Class of relevant security: | Details |
| | |
|-----------------------------+---------|
| | |
+---------------------------------------+
3. DEALINGS (Note 3)
(a) Purchases and sales
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Purchase/sale | Number of securities | Price per unit (Note 4) |
| | | |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 4,044 | 3750 |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 1,017 | 3750 |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 884 | 3750 |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 404 | 3750 |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 200 | 3750 |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 946 | 3750 |
|---------------+----------------------+-------------------------|
| Purchase | 2,505 | 3750 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Product | Long/short (Note | Number of securities | Price per |
| name, | 5) | (Note 6) | unit (Note |
| e.g. CFD | | | 4) |
|----------+------------------+------------------------+------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
(c) Options transactions in respect of existing securities
(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Product |Writing, |Number of |Exercise|Type, e.g.|Expiry|Option money |
|name, |selling, |securities to which|price |American, |date |paid/received |
|e.g. call|purchasing, |the option relates | |European | |per unit (Note|
|option |varying etc.|(Note 6) | |etc. | |4) |
| | | | | | | |
|---------+------------+-------------------+--------+----------+------+--------------|
| | | | | | | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
(ii) Exercising
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Product name, e.g. | Number of securities | Exercise price per |
| call option | | unit (Note 4) |
| | | |
|--------------------+----------------------+-----------------------|
| | | |
| | | |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
(d) Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 3)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Nature of transaction | Details | Price per unit (if applicable) |
| (Note 7) | | (Note 4) |
| | | |
|-----------------------+---------+---------------------------------|
| | | |
| | | |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
4. OTHER INFORMATION
Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or
derivatives
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding |
| between the person disclosing and any other person relating to |
| the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option |
| referred to on this form or relating to the voting rights or |
| future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to |
| which any derivative referred to on this form is referenced. If |
| none, this should be stated. |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Is a Supplemental Form 38.5(b) attached? (Note
8) NO
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Date of disclosure | 2nd October 2008 |
|----------------------------------------------+-------------------|
| Contact name | Frances Davies |
|----------------------------------------------+-------------------|
| Telephone number | 0207 991 6661 |
|----------------------------------------------+-------------------|
| Name of offeree/offeror with which connected | BHP Billiton Plc |
|----------------------------------------------+-------------------|
| Nature of connection (Note 9) | Connected Advisor |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
Notes
The Notes on Form 38.5(b) can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's
website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk
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