director Dealings: G4S | AGA Rangemaster

BUYS

• William McGrath and Shaun Smith, chief executive and finance director at cooker manufacturer AGA RANGEMASTER, have upped their holdings after strong annual results. McGrath bought 19,400 shares at 180.3p each and Smith bought 11,100 shares at a similar price. The purchases came despite shares more than doubling over the past year. AGA reported a 26.2 per cent rise in operating profits to £8.2 million in the year ending 31 December.

• Himanshu Raja, finance director at security firm G4S, has bought 50,000 shares at 233p each. Last week the firm agreed to repay £108.9m plus tax to the UK government after overcharging on contracts to tag offenders.

• Nicholas Bell, an executive director at MS INTERNATIONAL, has purchased 32,090 shares at 192p each. He now owns 100,000 shares in the Yorkshire engineering firm.

• Susan Searle, a non-executive director at animal health group BENCHMARK HOLDINGS, has purchased 20,000 ordinary shares at 102p each. The move increased her stake to 98,125 shares.

• John Paynter, a non-executive director at banking group STANDARD CHARTERED, has increased his holding with the purchase of 2,500 shares. Paynter paid 1,246.5p each for the shares, which took his holding to 12,500 shares. Earlier this month the company announced it had seen a fall in annual profits due to volatile financial markets.

• John Scott, a director of BLUEFIELD SOLAR INCOME FUND, has doubled his holding by buying 100,000 shares at 101.9p each. Last month the company announced a conditional contract to acquire its ninth large-scale solar plant in a £21m deal.

• Cliff Baty, a director at online gambling and entertainment firm SPORTECH, has bought 33,000 shares at 89p each. It was his first purchase of shares in the company.

SALES

• The wife of Nigel Clark, group financial director at technology business CML MICROSYSTEMS, has sold 57,500 shares at 575p. He retains a beneficial interest in 4,600 shares. Last the month the firm said it was confident of reporting improved full-year profits.

• Brendan Fitzgerald, a director at Irish food and agriculture group ORIGIN ENTERPRISES, has sold 50,000 shares at ¤7.50 each. He still holds 557,321 shares in the group. Earlier this month the firm upgraded its full-year guidance after reporting a “solid” operating and financial performance in the first half of the year.