News

David Clementi, chairman of Prudential, spent £29,735 on shares in the insurer the same day it reported a 15% rise in sales for the first nine months of 2007, helped by strong growth in Asia.

Clementi bought 4,000 shares at 743.38p each after the firm announced that total group insurance sales on an annual premium equivalent basis totalled £1,979m in the nine months to end-September. That was up from £1,723m in the corresponding period last year.

Sales in the company's Asian life operations were up 48% compared to 2006 at £939m, and have already surpassed the £908m logged for the whole of last year. The strong performance in Asia compensated for a 20% slide in UK total sales to £529m.
Top Director Buys

Coburg Group (CGG)
Director name: Mr Rory Forrester
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 425.00p
Value: £212,500

LSL Property Services (LSL)
Director name: Mr Simon Embley
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 155.00p
Value: £155,000

Morse (MOR)
Director name: Mr Kevin Alcock
Amount purchased: 100,206 @ 82.77p
Value: £82,941

LSL Property Services (LSL)
Director name: Mr Dean Fielding
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 155.00p
Value: £62,000

Charter (CHTR)
Director name: Mr John Neill
Amount purchased: 4,221 @ 1,178.00p
Value: £49,723

Witan Investment Trust (WTAN)
Director name: Mr Anthony Watson
Amount purchased: 10,072 @ 488.00p
Value: £49,151

Prudential (PRU)
Director name: Sir David Clementi
Amount purchased: 4,000 @ 743.38p
Value: £29,735

Land Securities Group (LAND)
Director name: Mr Ian Ellis
Amount purchased: 1,356 @ 1,763.29p
Value: £23,910

China Medical System Holdings (CMSH)
Director name: Mr Yanling Chen
Amount purchased: 15,000 @ 150.00p
Value: £22,500

LSL Property Services (LSL)
Director name: Mr Roger Matthews
Amount purchased: 12,500 @ 155.00p
Value: £19,375
Top Director Sells

Bunzl (BNZL)
Director name: Mr Anthony Habgood
Amount sold: 70,455 @ 718.14p
Value: £505,966

BAE Systems (BA.)
Director name: Mr Ian King
Amount sold: 34,522 @ 494.75p
Value: £170,798