CIGARETTE giant British American Tobacco has stuck to its full-year targets despite seeing currency fluctuations hold back profits.

Chairman Martin Broughton said he still expected "high single-figure growth" in earnings this year as BAT's leading brands continue to gain ground.

Volume sales of the group's four global brands - Lucky Strike, Kent, Dunhill and Pall Mall - were up nearly 15 per cent in the third quarter of the year.

Pre-tax profits for the three months, to September 30, rose three per cent to £608m.

But BAT said currency fluctuations had wiped £45m off operating profits.