Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits-Target Allocations (Details) (Hsbc North America [Member], HSBC North America Pension Plan [Member])	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	100.00%
Domestic Large/Mid-Cap Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	9.50%
Domestic Small Cap Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	3.00%
International Large Cap Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	8.00%
International Small Cap Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	3.00%
Global Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	7.00%
Emerging Market [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	5.50%
Diversified Credit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	4.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	59.00%
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Total target asset allocations	1.00%