Royal Mail chairman makes first share purchase

Royal Mail’s new chairman Peter Long made his first stock purchase this week, snapping up 50,000 shares in the company at 444p each.

Long is joint chief executive of travel operator TUI and previously held roles at RAC, Debenhams and Rentokil Initial.

Long, who took on the role at Royal Mail in September, will stay on as CEO at TUI until the AGM in February.

Earlier this week, Royal Mail said it has been fined €55.1m (£40.2m) by the French competition authority after an investigation into the industry's price-fixing cartel across the Channel hit a group including FedEx and TNT hit with total fines of €672m.

The fine was almost exactly as expected and is covered by provisions already made in the company's financial statement for last year, when £46m was set aside, comprising £40m for the anticipated fine and £6m for costs.

Elsewhere, four of Thor Mining’s directors treated to themselves to shares.

Michael Ashton, David Thomas, Trevor Ireland and Gregory Durack bought 47.9m shares at 0.040p.

The purchases followed a huge surge in the share price on Wednesday, when the company said it has struck a deal with an Australian firm which may lead to the sale of its Spring Hill and Dundas gold projects for up to AUD$3.5m.

Top Director Buys

Datatec Ltd. (DI) (DTC)

Director name: Mr Jens P Montanana

Amount purchased: 75,000 @ 229.40p

Value: £172,050

Wincanton (WIN)

Director name: Mr Stewart Oades

Amount purchased: 19,367 @ 2,002.80p

Value: £387,882

Royal Mail (RMG)

Director name: Mr Peter James Long

Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 444.00p

Value: £222,000

Thor Mining (THR)

Director name: Mr Michael Billing

Amount purchased: 165,281,248 @ 0.040p

Value: £66,112

Paragon Entertainment Ltd (DI) (PEL)

Director name: Mr Mark Jonathan George Taylor

Amount purchased: 5,500,000 @ 1.63p

Value: £89,650

Advanced Oncotherapy (AVO)

Director name: Mr Michael Bradfield

Amount purchased: 750,000 @ 5.50p

Value: £41,250

Thor Mining (THR)

Director name: Mr Michael Ashton

Amount purchased: 47,904,192 @ 0.040p

Value: £19,162

Thor Mining (THR)

Director name: Mr David Thomas

Amount purchased: 47,904,192 @ 0.040p

Value: £19,162

Thor Mining (THR)

Director name: Mr Trevor Ireland

Amount purchased: 47,904,192 @ 0.040p

Value: £19,162

Thor Mining (THR)

Director name: Mr Gregory Durack

Amount purchased: 47,904,192 @ 0.040p

Value: £19,162

Top Director Sells

NewRiver Retail Limited (NRR)

Director name: Mr Paul Roy

Amount sold: 200,000 @ 345.48p

Value: £690,960

NewRiver Retail Limited (NRR)

Director name: Mr Paul Roy

Amount sold: 130,000 @ 345.48p

Value: £449,124

NewRiver Retail Limited (NRR)

Director name: Mr Allan Lockhart

Amount sold: 12,000 @ 345.48p

Value: £41,458

NewRiver Retail Limited (NRR)

Director name: Mr Allan Lockhart

Amount sold: 8,714 @ 345.48p

Value: £30,105

NewRiver Retail Limited (NRR)

Director name: Mr Nick Sewell

Amount sold: 8,714 @ 345.48p

Value: £30,105