AVN.L Share News (AVN)

Viscount Rothermere, the chairman of newspaper publisher and exhibitions organiser Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), has sold £5m worth of shares. Viscount Rothermere sold 909,974 A ordinary non-voting shares at 550.57p each. He still owns 20.7% of the A non-voting shares, or just over 75m. Earlier this month DMGT said underlying revenue in the final three months of 2010 was 5% ahead. The group's Business to Business (B2B) operations in the three months to 2 January - the first quarter of the group's financial year - were up 19% from a year earlier at £220m, and posted an underlying improvement of 11%, primarily due to the biennial timing of events. Underlying figures are calculated on a like-for-like basis, adjusted for acquisitions, disposals and closures made in the current and prior year and at constant exchange rates. In the Consumer Media division revenues from A&N Media eased 1% from a year earlier to £277m but were up 1% on an underlying basis. Associated Newspapers' total revenues for the quarter rose by 1% to £211m, an underlying increase of 5%. Underlying circulation revenues were 1% lower, but both the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday improved their market share, and both titles achieved record shares in December. Total underlying advertising revenues were up 6%. Trading in January has seen underlying advertising revenues for Associated Newspapers 2% ahead of last year. Net debt at 2nd January, 2011 stood at £910m, up from £862m on 3 October, 2010, due to seasonal cash outflows. Top Director Buys BP (BP.) Director name: Mr Iain C ConnAmount purchased: 155,695 @ 491.00p Value: £764,462Avanti Communications Group (AVN) Director name: Mr David J BestwickAmount purchased: 30,000 @ 504.00p Value: £151,200Avanti Communications Group (AVN) Director name: Mr David J WilliamsAmount purchased: 20,000 @ 504.00p Value: £100,800Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd. (CFU) Director name: Mr Roy RoseAmount purchased: 100,000 @ 7.73p Value: £7,730Top Director Sells Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) Director name: The Viscount RothermereAmount purchased: 909,974 @ 550.57p Value: £5,010,044