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Barclays, the UK's third-largest bank, has said it is on track to deliver full-year earnings "broadly in line" with market expectations.

In a trading update the company said the nature of its operations and profits growth was standing the bank in good stead in the face of the ongoing global credit crunch.

Earlier this month Barclays reported lower-than expected losses as a result of its exposure to credit market problems.

On November 15th the lender revealed it had taken a £1.3 billion hit on credit-related securities tied to the collapse of the US sub-prime mortgage market.

Commenting on the company's recent performance Barclays group chief executive, John Varley, said: "The diversification of our profits in recent years, together with the investments we have made in businesses both inside and outside the UK, is serving us well in 2007.

"Our performance in the nine months to the end of September was supported by good underlying growth in global retail and commercial banking, and by resilience in investment banking and investment management in the face of turbulent market conditions in the second half," he added.

Barclays revealed its UK retail banking operations had delivered "good growth" in pre-tax profits, excluding the impact of refunded overdraft fees from previous years and reflecting higher mortgage sales and customer deposits.

Pre-tax profits at the company's credit card arm, Barclaycard, have also grown "strongly", the bank stressed.

Meanwhile Barclays' commercial banking operation has also seen an increase in profit before tax, with expenses growing broadly in line with income and impairment rising at a slower rate than in the first-half.