LONDON (ShareCast) - Sir Michael Rake, the Senior Independent Director of Barclays, has upped his stake in the firm less than a week after the global bank was downgraded by Fitch Ratings.

Rake, who is currently also Chairman of telecommunications firm BT Group and Chairman of Easyjet, bought up 5,914 ordinary shares at 167.23p per share, taking his total to 35,213 shares in the firm.

His decision to make the purchase comes just days after the firm suffered the downgrade, which the ratings agency said was as a result of growing risks arising from both economic developments as well as a “myriad of regulatory changes”.

Barclays' rating was cut by two notches, from A to AA-.

The banking giant also learned that its auditor, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, is to be investigated by the Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board. The board is investigating the auditor's role in reporting to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on the firm’s compliance with the FSA’s client asset rules -the so-called CASS rules- which govern the protection of client money.


Top Director Buys

Aminex (AEX)
Director name: Mr F Derek Tughan
Amount purchased: 1,350,000 @ 3.25p
Value: £43,875

SEGRO (SGRO)
Director name: Mr David J R Sleath
Amount purchased: 20,000 @ 196.30p
Value: £39,260

Asian Citrus Holding (ACHL)
Director name: Mr Nicholas Smith
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 33.60p
Value: £33,600

Accumuli (ACM)
Director name: Mr Nicholas J Kingsbury
Amount purchased: 335,052 @ 8.38p
Value: £28,077

IndigoVision Group (IND)
Director name: Mr Hamish M Grossart
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 255.00p
Value: £25,500

SEGRO (SGRO)
Director name: Mr Justin Read
Amount purchased: 10,186 @ 196.30p
Value: £19,995

Severfield-Rowen (SFR)
Director name: Mr Chris Holt
Amount purchased: 10,572 @ 168.70p
Value: £17,835

SVG Capital (SVI)
Director name: Mr Lynn Fordham
Amount purchased: 8,197 @ 201.30p
Value: £16,501

Devro (DVO)
Director name: Mr Paul A Neep
Amount purchased: 5,900 @ 254.00p
Value: £14,986

Henry Boot (BHY)
Director name: Mr Jonathan James Sykes
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 119.50p
Value: £11,950


Top Director Sells

Jupiter Fund Management (JUP)
Director name: Mr Philip Johnson
Amount sold: 60,000 @ 217.80p
Value: £130,680

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