(Sharecast News) - Ascential revealed on Friday that chief financial officer Mandy Gradden had disposed of 850,000 ordinary shares in the FTSE 250-listed business-to-business media group.

Gradden, who joined the company as CFO in January 2013, sold the shares on Thursday at an average price of 288.0p each, for a total value of £2.44m.

Following the transaction, Gradden has a remaining shareholding of 424,962 ordinary Ascential shares, in addition to share awards over 1.2m shares under the company's share plans.

As of 1600 GMT, Ascential shares were up 0.62% at 294.0p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

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Science In Sport (SIS)

Director name: Turcan,Henry

Amount purchased: 6,017,861 @ 11.00p

Value: £661,964.71

Science In Sport (SIS)

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Science In Sport (SIS)

Director name: Wright,Dan

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Oryx International Growth Fund Ltd. (OIG)

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Uil Limited (di) (UTL)

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Uil Limited (di) (UTL)

Director name: Shillson,David

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Uil Limited (di) (UTL)

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Latham (james) (LTHM)

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Latham (james) (LTHM)

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Top Director Sells

Next (NXT)

Director name: Aspley Guise,Wolfson

Amount sold: 60,000 @ 8,430.45p

Value: £5,058,269.81

Ascential (ASCL)

Director name: Gradden,Mandy

Amount sold: 850,000 @ 288.00p

Value: £2,448,000.10

Next (NXT)

Director name: James,Amanda

Amount sold: 13,000 @ 8,393.31p

Value: £1,091,130.27

Dg Innovate (DGI)

Director name: Gabriel,Trevor Maurice

Amount sold: 10,000,000 @ 0.22p

Value: £21,600.00