UPDATE 1-Jardine Lloyd Thompson says on track for 2008
* Says performed as expected in Q3
* Expects to deliver "sustainable profit growth" in 2008
* Primary insurance market remains very competitive
* Bank facilities committed until 2011
LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - British insurance broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Plc (JLT.L) said it performed as expected in the third quarter but had seen little sign the economic slowdown was pushing up premiums.
"JLT remains on track to deliver sustainable profitable growth in 2008, despite the current circumstances of unprecedented dislocation and uncertainty in the financial sector worldwide," the company said on Tuesday in a trading statement for the three months to the end of September.
Sterling's weakness relative to the dollar during the third quarter worked in its favour although the benefits had been partly offset buy its hedging programme and a weakening in other currencies such as the Australian dollar, JLT said, adding lower interest rates had hit its investment income.
The primary insurance market continued to be very competitive despite the global financial crisis, it said.
"Although logic would suggest that recent insurance industry losses and adverse economic conditions should lead to a hardening in insurance rates during 2009, we have not as yet seen any sustained evidence of a cyclical turn other than in the aviation and professional lines sectors and for catastrophe exposed energy risks," the company said.
JLT described its balance sheet as strong and said it had significant headroom with bank facilities committed until December 2011. (Reporting by Paul Hoskins)
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