Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits-Assumptions (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Discount rate	3.95%	3.95%	3.60%
Salary increase assumption	3.00%	3.00%	3.00%
Other Postretirement Benefit Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Discount rate	3.95%	3.60%	4.35%
Salary increase assumption	3.00%	3.00%	2.75%
HSBC North America [Member] \| Pension Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Discount rate	4.25%	3.95%	4.80%
Expected long-term rate of return on Plan assets	5.50%	6.00%	6.00%

The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money for the plan.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Expected rate of compensation increases (for pay-related plans).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

An assumption as to the rate of return on plan assets reflecting the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the benefits included in the benefit obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Expected Long-Term Rate of Return on Plan Assets
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512046

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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