Director Dealings: Renewed interest in firm

Its strategy of shifting focus away from the building sector into specialist engineering work, such as land renewal, has mitigated some of the effects of the downturn.

The group recently highlighted its debt-free balance sheet and healthy cash position and said it was confident of continuing to trade profitably.

Chief executive Brian May last week upped his family's stake in the company with the purchase of 50,000 shares at 37p. He now holds 355,000 shares. May's last purchase was in July when he bought 50,000 shares at 29.75p each. The shares have been as high as 52.5p over the past 12 months.

Dr John Robertson, who had a career in corporate finance before his retirement, has doubled his stake in oil group Petro Matad.

Robertson, a non-executive director at the Isle of Man-based company, bought 150,000 shares at 15.6p each. The company is focused on oil exploration, development and production in Mongolia.

Alan Clements, head of content at STV, has increased his holding in the television group.

He purchased 20,000 shares at 53p each and now holds 30,000 shares.

Peter Shea, chief executive of broking group Daniel Stewart Securities, has increased his already sizeable holding. Shea bought 1.5 million shares at 1.25p each to take his stake to more than 15 per cent.

Jeremy Brade, a non-executive director at investment group Falkland Islands Holdings, has bought his first stake in the group. He bought 2,000 shares at 462p each in the company which has seen its market value almost double over the past year.

A clutch of board members at Max Petroleum have increased their holdings.

Michael Young, president and chief financial officer, bought 155,096 shares at just under 20p each to take his holding to 235,274 shares. Four other directors made the same investment.

Shares in the company, which is focused on interests in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, are up by more than four-fold on the past year.