Australia's ANZ bank posts record annual profit

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group on Thursday posted a record full-year net profit of $Aus5.66 billion (US$5.85 billion), driven by rising earnings from its Asian operations. Australia's third largest bank by market value said net profit for the 12 months to September 30 was up six percent with underlying profit -- the bank's preferred measure -- rising by the same amount, to Aus$6.0 billion. Chief executive Mike Smith said the bank continued to expand in Asia, with income there now making up 21 percent of its total revenue. "Over the past five years we have systematically worked in every area of the bank to transform ANZ, delivering on our regional growth aspirations and emerging from the global financial crisis as a stronger, more international bank," he said. But he warned that conditions would get more challenging in the year ahead with the global economy softening. "It's clear that the post-GFC (global financial crisis) lower growth business environment will be with us for the foreseeable future, as will the requirement to operate with higher levels of regulatory capital and higher funding and liquidity costs." Melbourne-based ANZ declared a dividend of 79 cents a share.