Director dealings: Derwent London CEO sells just ahead of Brexit vote

Derwent London chief executive John Burns has sold £1.5m of the FTSE 250 real estate investor's shares in the week just before the EU referendum which could seriously lift or undermine the company's shares.

In Wednesday's sale, which comes two days before results for Britain's referendum on continuing EU membership that has hit the shares of most property stocks in recent months, Burns sold 45,000 shares at a price of £33.075 apiece.

A fortnight ago, fellow director Simon Silver, who is in charge of the company's development and regeneration programme, sold 30,000 of his shares at £33.29 per share.

First-quarter results just over a month ago were strong, with Derwent reporting strong letting activity and development progress, including securing £13.2m of annual rental income by letting or pre-letting 185,400 square feet.

Derwent said lettings were 6.1% ahead of December 2015 estimated recovery value on average and confirmed it had a one million square feet development programme under construction.

If the UK votes to stay in the EU, some observers predict shares of London-focused property companies such as Derwent could soar.

Top Director Buys

Vinaland Ltd (VNL)
Director name: Isaac ,Charles
Amount purchased: 170,000 @ $0.58
Value: $98,600.00

Workspace Group (WKP)
Director name: Hopkins,Jamie
Amount purchased: 8,054 @ 839.96p
Value: £67,650.29

Globalworth Real Estate Investments Limited (GWI)
Director name: Raptis,Dimitris
Amount purchased: 9,550 @ € 5.10
Value: € 48,705.00

Harworth Group (HWG)
Director name: Kirkman ,Andrew
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 92.15p
Value: £46,075.00

Workspace Group (WKP)
Director name: Clemett,Graham
Amount purchased: 4,922 @ 839.96p
Value: £41,342.78

Urban&civic (UANC)
Director name: Butler,Robin
Amount purchased: 16,546 @ 245.00p
Value: £40,537.70

Paysafe Group (PAYS)
Director name: Dark,Andrew
Amount purchased: 10,363 @ 385.85p
Value: £39,985.64

Totally (TLY)
Director name: Holt,Robert (Bob)
Amount purchased: 26,758 @ 63.60p
Value: £17,018.09

Harworth Group (HWG)
Director name: Michaelson,Owen
Amount purchased: 15,000 @ 91.90p
Value: £13,785.00

Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings (IDH)
Director name: Martin,Paul James
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 132.00p
Value: £13,200.00

Vianet Group (VNET)
Director name: Dickson,James
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 100.00p
Value: £10,000.00

Stadium Group (SDM)
Director name: Estell,Joanne
Amount purchased: 12,000 @ 80.00p
Value: £9,600.00

Stadium Group (SDM)
Director name: Peppiatt,Charles
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 80.00p
Value: £8,000.00

Stadium Group (SDM)
Director name: Brayshaw,Nick P
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 79.00p
Value: £7,900.00

Informa (INF)
Director name: Owers,Helen
Amount purchased: 1,000 @ 668.32p
Value: £6,683.20

Mitchells & Butlers (MAB)
Director name: Jones,Timothy (Tim) Charles
Amount purchased: 1,162 @ 281.90p
Value: £3,275.68

Aberdeen Asian Income Fund Ltd. (AAIF)
Director name: Arthur,Peter
Amount purchased: 303 @ 165.00p
Value: £499.95

Fdm Group (holdings) (FDM)
Director name: Senecal de Fonseca ,Michelle
Amount purchased: 58 @ 590.60p
Value: £342.55

Kaz Minerals (KAZ)
Director name: Southam,Andrew
Amount purchased: 107 @ 140.80p
Value: £150.66

Fidessa Group (FDSA)
Director name: Hamer,John
Amount purchased: 6 @ 2,173.00p
Value: £130.38

Fidessa Group (FDSA)
Director name: Skelton ,Andy
Amount purchased: 5 @ 2,173.00p
Value: £108.65

Top Director Sells

Derwent London (DLN)
Director name: Burns,John David
Amount purchased: 45,000 @ 3,307.50p
Value: £1,488,375.03

Consort Medical (CSRT)
Director name: Glenn,Jonathan
Amount purchased: 96,820 @ 991.75p
Value: £960,212.31

Consort Medical (CSRT)
Director name: Cotton,Richard
Amount purchased: 55,153 @ 991.75p
Value: £546,979.85