Next finance chief buys

Next finance director David Keens has invested more than £98,000 in adding to his stake in the fashion retailer.

He has bought 5,000 shares at 1963.5p each. This takes his stake in Next to 125,700 shares (0.065%).

Next has been buying back shares during January at prices around 2000p a share. All the purchases have been above Keens' buying price. The Next share price has fallen by nearly 5% over the past month.

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Keens joined Next in 1986 and was appointed to the board in 1991.

On 5 January, Next upgraded its forecast full year profit range to £490m-£500m for the year to January 2010. That includes £7m of additional profit from it being a 53 week period. Earnings per share are expected to be between 180p and 184p - at least 15% higher than the previous year.

Pre-Christmas trading was better than expected. The consumer environment was more stable and Next believes that its improved product range also helped

Full year figures will be reported on 25 March.

Top Director Buys

Next (NXT) Director name: Mr David W KeensAmount purchased: 5,000 @ 1,963.50p Value: £98,175

Archial Group (ARL) Director name: Sir Rodney M WalkerAmount purchased: 1,000,000 @ 7.00p Value: £70,000

Schroder Asia Pacific Fund (SDP) Director name: Mr Robert W BoyleAmount purchased: 15,000 @ 174.50p Value: £26,175

Connaught (CNT) Director name: Mr Stephen HillAmount purchased: 5,000 @ 331.00p Value: £16,550

Top Director Sells

M. P. Evans Group (MPE) Director name: Mr P E Hadsley-ChaplinAmount sold: 272,753 @ 340.00p Value: £927,360

Red Rock Resources (RRR) Director name: Mr Andrew Ronald McMillan BellAmount sold: 1,000,000 @ 1.30p Value: £13,000