Member Info for jange

Brooks Macdonald Group (BRK) Director name: Mr Richard Spencer Amount purchased: 2,000 @ 1,305.00p Value: £26,100

Brooks Macdonald Group (BRK) Director name: Mr Chris A MacDonald Amount purchased: 2,286 @ 1,305.00p Value: £29,832

Brooks Macdonald Group (BRK) Director name: Mr Jonathan Gumpel Amount purchased: 2,286 @ 1,305.00p Value: £29,832

Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) Director name: Mr Nicholas Anderson Amount purchased: 1,525 @ 2,267.79p Value: £34,584

Bullabulling Gold Limited (DI) (BGL) Director name: Mr Peter John Mansell Amount purchased: 450,000 @ 5.94p Value: £26,730

Sir Ron Brierley, a non-executive director of Guinness Peat Group (GPG) sold a massive chunk of shares in the investment holding company this week. The company announced on Friday morning that Brierley sold five million shares in the company at a price of A$0.475 (31.04p), earning himself around A$2.38m (around £1.55m). The sales took his stake down to just under 37m shares, representing 2.33% of the company's total voting rights. Brierley, a well-known New Zealand investor, joined GPG in 1990 and was running as Chairman until 2010. The company, listed in London, Australia and New Zealand, invests in a number of businesses, mainly in Europe and Australasia.

Security firm G4S has announced that it is to acquire the South African retail cash solutions technology provider Deposita. The UK-listed company will take an 87% stake in Deposita for a total consideration of 114m rand (£8.2m) post debt restructuring. Deposita, founded in 2004, is the market leader in cash devices and related cash-in-transit, cash processing and insurance for the retail sector, G4S said. "The acquisition of Deposita will significantly strengthen G4S's position in the South African retail cash technology marketplace, which is forecast to grow rapidly over the next three years," the company said. Albert Erasmus, the Managing Director of G4S Cash Solutions South Africa, commented: "This will accelerate our growth via the addition of exciting new capability that will assist the development of the cash business via the provision of more complete end-to-end solutions for our customers".

The Office of Fair Trading has approved the London Stock Exchange Group to acquire a majority stake in LCH.Clearnet, the derivatives trading house. Both LSEG and LCH.Clearnet have also received approval from the Portuguese Competition Authority for the acquisition. The transaction remains subject to other outstanding conditions including approval from the Financial Services Authority. Further to the announcement on September 28, LSEG and LCH.Clearnet remain in discussions regarding the implications of the new recommendations from the European Securities and Markets Authority and the European Banking Authority and potential changes to the commercial terms of the transaction.

Afferro Mining has confirmed a tax settlement with the Liberian government over the sale of the company's minority interest in Severstal Liberia Iron Ore to Lybica, an affiliate of Severstal. The exploration and development organisation and its wholly-owned subsidiary Mano River Iron Ore Holdings have entered into an amendment over the sale of Afferro's 38.5% stake in Severstal. Afferro said a single payment of $9.75m will be made to all tax claims relating to the deal. Lybica will pay $50m to Mano in full and final satisfaction of the balance of the purchase price payable under the transaction within seven business days. Chief Executive Officer, Luis da Silva, said: "By advancing the deferred element of the sale proceeds from our former minority interest, it enables the company to strengthen its balance sheet in an uncertain economic climate, when cash is at a premium. After the receipt of these funds, the company will have a cash position of $90m leaving it well-placed to advance its projects, while continuing its negotiations with potential strategic partners."

"Trading comparatives are much more challenging in the first half of this year and given this, net income in the core estate is down 5% on a like-for-like basis, in line with management expectations," the statement read. Roger Whiteside, Chief Executive Officer of Punch Taverns, commented:"Our performance in the first 16 weeks of the financial year has been in line with management expectations. While the UK consumer environment is likely to remain challenging for at least the near-term, we continue to make good progress with our clear operational plan to return the core estate to growth in the medium-term and extract maximum value from our non-core assets." Panmure analysts' view Commenting on the statement, Panmure analysts stated: "Discussions regarding financial restructuring are on-going and on the basis of dialogue with shareholders to date, the board continues to believe that a restructuring can be successfully implemented. "The key issue for investors is whether they think there is any value left in the pubco business for equity holders. We do not think there is, as there is likely to be a debt for equity swap as well as a change to the amortisation profile of the remaining debt and likely resetting of covenants alongside these steps. "It will take time for this consensus to be reached, in our view, meaning the only visible value is the group's shareholding in Matthew Clark which is valued at approximately £44m, or 7p per share. This therefore dictates our Target Price; Hold." Punch Taverns' share price was unchanged at 7.49p at 11:03 on Friday.

A A A Pub and bar operator Punch Taverns is trading in-line, despite which analysts warn that the equity value of the company's pubco business is nil. In its interim management statement covering the first 16 weeks of the fiscal year, up until December 8th, the company stated that average profit per pub was stable and overall profit performance was in line with management expectations. Thus, although net income in core estate was down 5% on a like-for-like basis, that was as expected and a recovery is currently being forecast. The group stated that its non-core estate disposal programme remained on track. Since commencing the programme in 2011, it said it had realised proceeds of £193m from 758 pub disposals, slightly ahead of book value. Approximately 400 non-core pubs were expected to be sold by the group in the current financial year. In the current quarter, Punch disposed of 86 pubs for proceeds of £26m. The average quality of the group's estate was expected to improve as Punch Taverns sold non-core assets. However, the core estate net income is expected to decline in the current financial year as the group rebalances rents in the short-term, with a return to growth expected in the next financial year.

He added: "The group has had a strong start to the current financial year, ahead of business plan and significantly ahead of previous year. New car volumes are 8.6% ahead of last year with improved margin. I am pleased to report that our Guest Connect programme is in its second year of operation and it is having a significant effect on aftersales profit contribution. I remain confident that the group will deliver an improved performance in our 2013 financial year. "

The group posted net assets worth £21.5m and a balance sheet position with £0.3m of goodwill. The underlying return on shareholders' funds was 13.5% and the group made an announcement of a dividend for the year of 0.3p per share, versus none last year. The firm has also announced its intention to maintain a progressive dividend policy. Commenting on the results, Mark Lavery, Chief Executive said: "Cambria has performed in line with our expectations and, after a particularly difficult first half, has produced a far better second half. The cost rationalisation programme carried out in the first half is now broadly completed and while we continue to look at areas where cost saving can be made, we are in a leaner position than at the same point last year."

Total revenue for the year fell 5.57 per cent to £352.5m at UK motor dealer group Cambria Automobiles, according to the group's full year results published on Friday. In the financial year to August 31st 2012, underlying profit before tax at the group fell to £3.1m, compared to £4.9m in the previous year. This was in line with the board's expectation, reflecting weaker new car volume and profitability, particularly in the first half of the year. Continuing businesses made an underlying profit before tax of £3.5m with the acquired dealership making a loss of £0.22m and disposed dealership making a loss of £0.14m. A rationalisation programme was implemented in the first quarter with a one-off cost of £0.3m.

Charles Crick, Non-Executive Director of the company, will take over Steinberg's place. "Nathan Steinberg has been associated with the company for many years and has been a much valued adviser," Crick said. "The board is very grateful for the considerable contribution which he has made to the company during this time. The board also thanks Peter Curry for his contribution to the company whilst a director."

East West Resources (EWR) has completed the sale of its subsidiary Ambrian Asset Management (AAM), the physical metals and energy trader announced Friday. Chairman Nathan Steinberg has left the company following the sale of the whole of the issued share capital of AAM. He has stepped down from the boards of the company effective immediately. Peter Curry has also resigned as a Director of the Company with immediate effect after Sun Hung Kai & Co Limited disposed of its entire shareholding in the company.

Huntsworth announced Friday the resignation of its Non-Executive Director Michael Birkin, along with a number of changes to its board. The global public relations and healthcare communications group said Birkin will leave the company Friday to concentrate on his new commitments in Asia as Chief Marketing Officer of Acer. Richard Sharp, Chairman of Huntsworth, said: "Michael has been a valuable member of the Board for over three years and has made a considerable contribution to the business. I would like to thank Michael for his hard work and sound advice and we wish him well in his new role with Acer." Joe MacHale, who joined the board in July, will replace Birkin as Senior Independent Director and chair of the audit committee. Company Secretary William James also resigned Friday and Martin Morrow will take his place.

The organisation said it would continue in its strategy of securing value for its shareholders.

Chairman of Northern Petroleum, Richard Latham, has purchased 5,000 shares in the company at 48.5p each, a statement revealed Friday. Latham now holds 967,477 shares - which equates to 1.01% of the issued share capital of the company - following the transaction Wednesday. Non-Executive Director, Dr Rex Gaisford, has also taken up shares in the company. He bought 50,000 ordinary shares at 48.75p each on Thursday. Gaisford's acquisition pushes his issued share capital up 0.08% to 73,500 shares. His holding includes 11,000 shares acquired on September 14th at 91.1p each, which were not previously disclosed. The directors of the company's aggregate beneficial shareholding includes 3,604,461 ordinary shares, representing 3.78% of the issued capital. The UK oil and gas company, which has a market capitalisation of £53.40m, holds more than 40 licences in a number of low risk areas.

Volex: Investec reduces target price from 225p to 125p and downgrades from buy to hold