The nation's three major banking groups saw profits drop in 2006 because of losses at their consumer-finance affiliates, but analysts are growing optimistic that the banks have recovered enough to roll with the blows.

On Wednesday, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group said net profit rose 14.3 percent to 881 billion yen for the business year to March despite huge losses at affiliate Acom Co.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, which has consumer lender Promise Co. under its wing, raked in 441.4 billion yen in net profit in 2006.