Laura Ashley chief exec buys

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.

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The retail market remains difficult.

Top Director Buys

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top Director Sells

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

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

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

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

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

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

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