Philip Hammond names HSBC economist as senior advisor

By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) - British finance minister Philip Hammond has appointed HSBC's chief European economist, Karen Ward, to advise him as the country prepares to leave the European Union, the finance ministry said on Saturday. Ward's new role as economic special advisor is an influential backroom position in British politics at a time when Hammond is considering how much to cushion the economic shock of June's vote to leave the EU, and how far to protect Britain's financial servic