(ShareCast News) - Metals Exploration director Jeremy Ayre shelled out £0.25m on shares in the Philippines-focused outfit as they trade at half the level they reached last summer, perhaps setting a floor for the stock after new debt terms were agreed last month.Ayre, a corporate finance specialist and former Rio Tinto man, bought 5m shares at a price of 5p apiece to up his stake to 7m shares.Last July the AIM-listed company topped 10p as it resumed milling operations and feeding mine ore into the processing plant at its Runruno gold project, which is located 200 miles north of Manila in the province of Nueva Viscaya.However, due to the combined impacts of the suspension of milling activities delaying expected revenue and long-lasting restructuring discussions, the share price has dwindled.Metals Ex raised $5m at 5p in July, then another $6.4m at 5p in September and $10.295m at the same price in November.Later that month the company completed its first gold sale, with mining operations ramping up and agreed a waiver from its lenders over a $15m payment due, before on 19 December agreeing to amended the commercial terms of its $81m loan, including a quarterly capital repayment profile extended to 31 December 2019.Top Director BuysMetals Exploration (MTL)Director name: Ayre ,Jeremy Amount purchased: 5,000,000 @ 5.00pValue: £250,000.00Legal & General Group (LGEN)Director name: Kingman,JohnAmount purchased: 89,233 @ 208.10pValue: £185,693.88Bluefield Solar Income Fund Limited (BSIF)Director name: Scott,JohnAmount purchased: 91,330 @ 108.13pValue: £98,752.39Vpc Specialty Lending Investments (VSL)Director name: Levy,RichardAmount purchased: 76,862 @ 79.00pValue: £60,720.98Topps Tiles (TPT)Director name: Parker,RobertAmount purchased: 65,000 @ 86.50pValue: £56,225.00Ms International (MSI)Director name: O'Connell,MichaelAmount purchased: 30,000 @ 165.00pValue: £49,500.00B.p. Marsh & Partners (BPM)Director name: Topping ,Daniel Amount purchased: 6,272 @ 214.30pValue: £13,440.90Prudential (PRU)Director name: Nicandrou,NicolaosAmount purchased: 13 @ 1,602.00pValue: £208.26Qinetiq Group (QQ.)Director name: Wadey ,Steve Amount purchased: 75 @ 263.89pValue: £197.92Prudential (PRU)Director name: Foley,John W.Amount purchased: 12 @ 1,602.00pValue: £192.24Prudential (PRU)Director name: Wells,Mike Amount purchased: 11 @ 1,602.00pValue: £176.22Judges Scientific (JDG)Director name: Cicurel,DavidAmount purchased: 11 @ 1,394.00pValue: £153.34Judges Scientific (JDG)Director name: Ormsby,Bradley LeonardAmount purchased: 11 @ 1,394.00pValue: £153.34National Grid (NG.)Director name: Bonfield,Andrew R JAmount purchased: 16 @ 952.21pValue: £152.35National Grid (NG.)Director name: Pettigrew,JohnAmount purchased: 16 @ 952.21pValue: £152.35Diageo (DGE)Director name: Mikells,KathrynAmount purchased: 7 @ 2,175.00pValue: £152.25Barr (a.g.) (BAG)Director name: Kemp,Jonathan DavidAmount purchased: 30 @ 506.00pValue: £151.80Barr (a.g.) (BAG)Director name: Lorimer,StuartAmount purchased: 30 @ 506.00pValue: £151.80Barr (a.g.) (BAG)Director name: Memmott,Andrew LewisAmount purchased: 30 @ 506.00pValue: £151.80Cmc Markets (CMCX)Director name: Foley,Grant Amount purchased: 129 @ 117.00pValue: £150.93Taylor Wimpey (TW.)Director name: Redfern,PeterAmount purchased: 89 @ 168.50pValue: £149.96Cmc Markets (CMCX)Director name: Fineberg,DavidAmount purchased: 128 @ 117.00pValue: £149.76Gocompare.com Group (GOCO)Director name: Wrighton,NickAmount purchased: 218 @ 68.67pValue: £149.70Rolls-royce Holdings (RR.)Director name: Smith,DavidAmount purchased: 23 @ 649.50pValue: £149.38Daily Mail And General Trust A (non.v) (DMGT)Director name: Zwillenberg,PaulAmount purchased: 19 @ 781.50pValue: £148.49Barr (a.g.) (BAG)Director name: White,Roger AlexanderAmount purchased: 29 @ 506.00pValue: £146.74Rolls-royce Holdings (RR.)Director name: Smith,Colin PAmount purchased: 20 @ 649.50pValue: £129.90Daily Mail And General Trust A (non.v) (DMGT)Director name: Daintith,StephenAmount purchased: 16 @ 781.50pValue: £125.04Daily Mail And General Trust A (non.v) (DMGT)Director name: Beatty,KevinAmount purchased: 16 @ 781.50pValue: £125.04National Grid (NG.)Director name: Westcott,Mike Amount purchased: 13 @ 952.21pValue: £123.79Ssp Group (SSPG)Director name: Davies,JonathanAmount purchased: 32 @ 386.50pValue: £123.68Ssp Group (SSPG)Director name: Swann,KateAmount purchased: 32 @ 386.50pValue: £123.68Phoenix Group Holdings (di) (PHNX)Director name: Moss,AndrewAmount purchased: 16 @ 752.50pValue: £120.40