Director Dealings: Ad group on a mission prompts buying spree

The group, which includes Edinburgh and London-based Story and employs more than 600 people across its businesses, has won a number of new clients in the last few months including Danepak, moneysupermarket.com, nPower and Sensodyne.

Net bank debt reduced by 4.2 million to 15.9m in the first six months of the year and the company said it looked forward to the second half of the year with "increased confidence".

Last week two directors spent heavily to up their stakes. Executive director Robert Day went into the market twice to buy around 2.6 million shares in the company at prices of 7p and 7.5p. Finance director Peter Fitzwillliam bought 133,334 shares at 7.5p per share and now holds 287,181 shares.

Andy Harrison, the new chief executive of leisure group Whitbread, has bought 29,439 shares at 1,685p each to take his stake up to 161,673 shares.

Enrique Greyling, a non-executive director at mining grioup Petmin, has bought 156,000 shares at 26p each a share. He now owns just over 3.67 million shares.

Phil Eaves a director of printing technology group Xaar has sold 150,000 shares at 210p each. He retains a stake of 22,249 shares.

Brian Duffy, a non-executive director at Celtic football club, has increased his holding with the purchase of 107,000 shares at 46.5p each. He previously only held a stake of 750 shares.

The wife of Neil Chapman, senior non-executive director at industrial fastening group Trifast, has bought 75,000 shares at 46.5p each. The couple's beneficial interest has now increased to 500,000 shares in the company,

Paul Murray, recently appointed non-executive director at defence technology group QinetiQ, has bought his first stake with the purchase of 44,377 shares at 112.08p a share.

Cameron Davies, a non-executive director at oil & gas explorer Ascent Resources, has bought his first stake in the company with the purchase of 150,000 shares at a price of 6.4p each.

Peter Earl, managing director of emerging markets power company Rurelec, has bought 250,000 shares at 11.5p each.

The company is awaiting news of a compensation claim against the Bolivian government.