Global banking group HSBC has completed the sale of 195 US retail branches to First Niagara Bank, first announced in July last year.HSBC's wholly-owned subsidiary, HSBC Bank USA, received $0.9bn for the branches (based on figures at April 30th 2012), primarily in upstate New York.The sales is part of the group's strategy outlined in May 2011 to "align our US business with our global network and meet the local and international needs of domestic and overseas clients"At the end of last month, the branches held around $14.5bn in deposits and over $4bn of brokerage and insurance assets under management. Outstanding loans to customers totalled $2.2bn."HSBC Bank USA NA, remains committed to serving and further developing corporate banking relationships in Upstate New York, including the provision of a full suite of international commercial banking offerings, including trade and cash management products and services," the firm said on Monday morning.BC