Next non-exec halves stake

Steve Barber, a non-executive director of Next, the High Street clothing retailer, has halved his stake in the company with the sale of 5,000 shares.With the shares selling at 4,024p a time the director earned £201,200 before tax.The group said earlier this month that its full year results would come in towards the top of expectations after cost control measures, markdowns and gross margins had all been slightly better than expected.As a result it narrowed full year profit guidance to the top of its previous range of £590m to £620m and now expects profits to be within £7.0m either side of £618m, putting the new range at £611m - £625m.This marked an improvement in both numbers and tone from its third quarter update, when the firm said numbers were 'volatile' after disappointing early sales.Looking to 2013, the firm expects consumer spending to remain "subdued but steady".Top Director BuysUrals Energy Public Co Ltd. (DI) (UEN) Director name: Mr Andrew ShragerAmount purchased: 450,000 @ 6.50p Value: £29,250Top Director SellsClose Brothers Group (CBG) Director name: Mr Stephen HodgesAmount sold: 56,724 @ 967.13p Value: £548,595Next (NXT) Director name: Mr Steve BarberAmount sold: 5,000 @ 4,024.00p Value: £201,200