SEOUL (Reuters) - HSBC (HSBA.L) said on Monday it was committed to a $6.3 billion takeover of South Korea's No. 6 bank, but warned it would not wait forever for approval of a deal seen as a major test of the country's openness to foreign investors.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke signaled openness to further interest rate cuts today, though he also indicated that the risk of higher-than-expected inflation has increased in recent weeks and that the central bank will be watching that trend carefully.