Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly (R) talks to a bank customer during a photo opportunity before the bank's full-year results news conference in Sydney November 4, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, forecast a fall in bad debts next year, marking the local banking industry's most confident outlook to date, even as it reported a fall in profits. Reuters Pictures 1 month ago

Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly (R) talks to a bank customer during a photo opportunity before the bank's full-year results news conference in Sydney November 4, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, forecast a fall in bad debts next year, marking the local banking industry's most confident outlook to date, even as it reported a fall in profits.

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  1. Westpac Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly speaks to shareholders at the Westpac Banking Corp annual general meeting in Melbourne December 16, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, said impairment charges have likely peaked and that it is strongly provisioned for future bad debt charges.
  2. A shareholder listens to Westpac Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly speaking at the Westpac Banking Corp annual general meeting in Melbourne December 16, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, said impairment charges have likely peaked and that it is strongly provisioned for future bad debt charges.
  3. Westpac Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly (L) is seen with other board members at the Westpac Banking Corp annual general meeting in Melbourne December 16, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, said impairment charges have likely peaked and that it is strongly provisioned for future bad debt charges.
  4. Westpac Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly is seen at the Westpac Banking Corp annual general meeting in Melbourne December 16, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, said impairment charges have likely peaked and that it is strongly provisioned for future bad debt charges.
  5. Westpac Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly speaks to shareholders at the Westpac Banking Corp annual general meeting in Melbourne December 16, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, said impairment charges have likely peaked and that it is strongly provisioned for future bad debt charges.
  6. Managing Director of Westpac Banking Corporation Gail Kelly speaks at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council meeting on rebuilding global prosperity in Washington, November 17, 2009.
  7. Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly, of Westpac Banking Corp., one of Australia's largest banks, gestures as she discusses profit results at a branch in Sydney, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Westpac said Wednesday its full-year profit dropped 10.7 percent due largely to bad debts amid the global financial crisis, but said it believed the bad debts had peaked.
  8. Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly, of Westpac Banking Corp., one of Australia's largest banks, discusses profit results at a branch in Sydney, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Westpac said Wednesday its full-year profit dropped 10.7 percent due largely to bad debts amid the global financial crisis, but said it believed the bad debts had peaked.
  9. Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly, of Westapac Banking Corp., one of Australia's largest banks, gestures as she discusses profit results at a branch in Sydney, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Westpac said Wednesday its full-year profit dropped 10.7 percent due largely to bad debts amid the global financial crisis, but said it believed the bad debts had peaked.
  10. Chief Executive Officer Gail Kelly, of Westapac Banking Corp., one of Australia's largest banks, discusses profit results at a branch in Sydney, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Westpac said Wednesday its full-year profit dropped 10.7 percent due largely to bad debts amid the global financial crisis, but said it believed the bad debts had peaked.
  11. Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly arrives at a full-year results news conference in Sydney November 4, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, forecast a fall in bad debts next year, marking the local banking industry's most confident outlook to date, even as it reported a fall in profits.
  12. Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly (R) talks to a bank customer during a photo opportunity before the bank's full-year results news conference in Sydney November 4, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, forecast a fall in bad debts next year, marking the local banking industry's most confident outlook to date, even as it reported a fall in profits.
  13. Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly arrives at a full-year results news conference in Sydney November 4, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, forecast a fall in bad debts next year, marking the local banking industry's most confident outlook to date, even as it reported a fall in profits.
  14. Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly reacts during a full-year results news conference in Sydney November 4, 2009. Westpac Banking Corp, Australia's third-biggest lender, forecast a fall in bad debts next year, marking the local banking industry's most confident outlook to date, even as it reported a fall in profits.

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  1. Supporters of various left parties shout slogans against the government to protest the rising prices of food items and for implementation of job security in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally urging the government to control prices of consumable items that have risen heavily in the past few months.
  2. Supporters of various left parties shout slogans against the government to protest the rising prices of food items and for implementation of job security in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally urging the government to control prices of consumable items that have risen heavily in the past few months.
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  5. An employee of Japan Airlines stands in front of its logo at Haneda airport in Tokyo December 16, 2009. Shares of Japan Airlines Corp jumped 4 percent on Wednesday after the struggling carrier said most retirees were willing to accept cuts to pension payouts. JAL needs two-thirds of 8,800 retirees and two-thirds of 17,000 employees to agree to pension reductions -- a prerequisite for it to receive a government bailout.
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  7. CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 16: Stuart Broad of England celebrates taking the wicket of Graeme Smith of South Africa for no runs during day one of the first test match between South Africa and England at Centurion Park on December 16, 2009 in Centurion, South Africa.
  8. Employees of Japan Airlines work in front of its logo at Haneda airport in Tokyo December 16, 2009. Shares of Japan Airlines Corp jumped 4 percent on Wednesday after the struggling carrier said most retirees were willing to accept cuts to pension payouts. JAL needs two-thirds of 8,800 retirees and two-thirds of 17,000 employees to agree to pension reductions -- a prerequisite for it to receive a government bailout.
  9. YEOJU-GUN, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 16: South Korean soldiers participate in a winter river crossing operation in preparation for a possible North Korean attack on December 16, 2009 in Yeoju, South Korea. The Korean peninsula is the world's last Cold War frontier as stalinist North Korea and pro-western South Korea have been technically at war since the 1950-53 conflict.
  10. YEOJU-GUN, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 16: South Korean soldiers participate in a winter river crossing operation in preparation for a possible North Korean attack on December 16, 2009 in Yeoju, South Korea. The Korean peninsula is the world's last Cold War frontier as stalinist North Korea and pro-western South Korea have been technically at war since the 1950-53 conflict.
  11. YEOJU-GUN, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 16: South Korean soldiers participate in a winter river crossing operation in preparation for a possible North Korean attack on December 16, 2009 in Yeoju, South Korea. The Korean peninsula is the world's last Cold War frontier as stalinist North Korea and pro-western South Korea have been technically at war since the 1950-53 conflict.
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  13. Indonesian National Police Deputy Spokesperson Brig. Gen Sulistyo Ishak shows a photo of Papuan separatist leader Kelly Kwalik after a press conference at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Kelly Kwalik was fatally shot as he tried to escape an early morning police raid on a house in the town of Timika, provincial police spokesman Lt. Col. Agus Riyanto said.
  14. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - DECEMBER 16: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon looks round during a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (unseen) at the UN Climate Change Conference on December 16, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Politicians and environmentalists are meeting for the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 that runs until December 18. Some of the participating nation's leaders will attend the last days of the summit.
  15. Left party leaders salute hundreds of people who gathered to protest against rising prices of food items and for implementation of job security in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally urging the government to control prices of consumable items that have risen heavily in the past few months.
  16. Supporters of various left parties shout slogans against the government to protest the rising prices of food items and for implementation of job security in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally urging the government to control prices of consumable items that have risen heavily in the past few months.