David Roberts, recently appointed as a non-executive director at the bank, has wasted no time in signalling his faith in his new employers, buying nearly £200,000 of shares.

Roberts bought 378,670 shares at 52.55p a time.

Roberts' appointment was announced on 11 February, following an interview with a Financial Standards Authority (FSA) panel. He still has to stand for election at the company's AGM later this year.

Roberts was an executive director, group executive committee member and chief executive of the international retail and commercial banking at Barclays until December 2006.

His purchase of shares in Lloyds comes soon after it joined Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland in reporting better than expected full-year figures. The part-nationalised lender reported a pre-tax loss of £6.3bn in the year ended 31 December compared with £6.71bn last time. Total income rose to £23.96bn from £21.36bn last time.

Investment analysts were expecting Lloyds to announce a pre-tax loss of £7.4bn on revenue of £22.6bn.

'2009 was a year of significant achievement in shaping the group,' said chief executive Eric Daniels.

'We have established positive trends in margin, cost and impairments and are well positioned. We are building strong earnings momentum and expect our performance to improve significantly in 2010 and beyond.'


Top Director Buys

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY)
Director name: Mr David Roberts
Amount purchased: 378,670 @ 52.55p
Value: £198,991


Top Director Sells

SABMiller (SAB)
Director name: Mr Graham Mackay
Amount sold: 144,306 @ 1,802.22p
Value: £2,600,712

Sainsbury (J) (SBRY)
Director name: Mr Michael Andrew Coupe
Amount sold: 160,000 @ 337.75p
Value: £540,400

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Sir Sir John E V Rose
Amount sold: 83,719 @ 558.00p
Value: £467,152

Amlin (AML)
Director name: Mr Charles E L Philipps
Amount sold: 95,506 @ 407.01p
Value: £388,719

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Mr Andrew B Shilston
Amount sold: 38,816 @ 558.00p
Value: £216,593

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Mr Mike Terrett
Amount sold: 29,405 @ 558.00p
Value: £164,080

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Mr Colin P Smith
Amount sold: 28,541 @ 558.00p
Value: £159,259

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Sir Sir John E V Rose
Amount sold: 15,318 @ 558.00p
Value: £85,474

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Mr Andrew B Shilston
Amount sold: 8,948 @ 558.00p
Value: £49,930

Rolls-Royce Group (RR.)
Director name: Mr Mike Terrett
Amount sold: 6,559 @ 558.00p
Value: £36,599

Related share prices
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) share price
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) share price
SABMiller (SAB) share price
Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) share price
Amlin (AML) share price