Lillian Tan, chief executive of Laura Ashley, has added 150,000 shares to her shareholding taking it to 500,000 shares - equivalent to 0.07%.

Tan spent £20,130 on the shares in the clothing and home furnishings retailer, which cost 13.42p each.

UK retail sales were 8.8% ahead in the 19 weeks to 12 December 2009. That is equivalent to a like-for-like increase of 4.9%. Mail order and e-commerce grew by 20.8% over the same period but that masks a decline of 23.7% in the mail order side.

The retail market remains difficult.

Top Director Buys

Ashley (Laura) Holding (ALY)
Director name: Ms Lillian Tan
Amount purchased: 150,000 @ 13.42p
Value: £20,130

Serica Energy (SQZ)
Director name: Mr Paul William Ellis
Amount purchased: 20,915 @ 70.00p
Value: £14,640

Serica Energy (SQZ)
Director name: Mr Peter David Sadler
Amount purchased: 20,915 @ 70.00p
Value: £14,640

Troy Income & Growth Trust (TIGT)
Director name: Mr Ian Boyd
Amount purchased: 30,000 @ 44.75p
Value: £13,425

Serica Energy (SQZ)
Director name: Mr Christopher James Hearne
Amount purchased: 18,824 @ 70.00p
Value: £13,177

SeaEnergy (SEA)
Director name: Mr David Sigsworth
Amount purchased: 20,000 @ 63.75p
Value: £12,750


Top Director Sells

Signet Jewelers (SIG)
Director name: Mr Walker G Boyd
Amount sold: 28,425 @ 1,704.00p
Value: £484,362

Hamworthy (HMY)
Director name: Mr Alan Frost
Amount sold: 25,000 @ 281.00p
Value: £70,250

Biocompatibles International (BII)
Director name: Mr Crispin Simon
Amount sold: 17,038 @ 238.75p
Value: £40,678

Biocompatibles International (BII)
Director name: Mr Peter Stratford
Amount sold: 17,038 @ 238.75p
Value: £40,678

Biocompatibles International (BII)
Director name: Mr John M Sylvester
Amount sold: 11,038 @ 238.75p
Value: £26,353

Biocompatibles International (BII)
Director name: Mr Ian Ardill
Amount sold: 10,000 @ 238.75p
Value: £23,875

Biocompatibles International (BII)
Director name: Mr John M Sylvester
Amount sold: 5,000 @ 235.00p
Value: £11,750

Related shares
Signet Jewelers (SIG) share price
Ashley (Laura) Holding (ALY) share price
Troy Income & Growth Trust (TIGT) share price
SeaEnergy (SEA) share price
Hamworthy (HMY) share price
Serica Energy (SQZ) share price