LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - British speciality lenderBradford & Bingley Plc (BB.L: Quote, Profile , Research) is on track to grow profits byabout 9 percent this year, it said on Tuesday, saying demand forproperty from landlords remained strong.

Britain's biggest provider of buy-to-let mortgages said itwas comfortable with the average analyst forecast that profitbefore tax and one-time items will rise to 367.6 million pounds($734.2 million) this year, from 336.1 million in 2006.

B&B, Britain's ninth biggest listed bank, said in astatement alongside its annual shareholder meeting that strongtrading continued during its first quarter, although it saidhigher interest rates were beginning to dampen demand, resultingin a "modest" slowdown in demand.

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