DUBAI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - HSBC ( HSBC ) said

on Thursday it will conduct a strategic review of its Egyptian

retail banking business as part of the wider restructuring of

its global operations.

The Asia-focused bank, which has been scaling back its

worldwide operations as part of an overhaul started last year,

said in a statement it "will consider all options for the retail

banking business, and no decisions have been made".

HSBC ( HSBC ), which has had a presence in Egypt since 1982, said

that the North African country is "an important market" and "has

strong potential for growth", adding that the review will not

include its Egyptian wholesale banking activities.

No other activities in Egypt will be impacted, it added.

Under the restructuring, HSBC ( HSBC ) began winding down its M&A and

some equities businesses in Europe and the Americas this year.

It also said it would carry out strategic reviews of its

retail businesses in Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and

Bangladesh, and would divest its retail business in

Bahrain.