Imperial Tobacco says trading as expected

LONDON, March 19 (Reuters) - Imperial Tobacco Plc (IMT.L: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's fourth-biggest cigarette group, said on Wednesday it was trading in line with its expectations as the group moves towards the close of its half-year at the end of March.

The British company, which makes Lambert & Butler, West and Gauloises cigarettes, said Franco-Spanish group Altadis, which it bought for 12.6 billion euros ($19.9 billion) in January, was also performing in line with its expectations. (Reporting by Mark Potter; Editing by Quentin Bryar)