(ShareCast News) - Tate & Lyle's chief financial officer, Nick Hampton, has sold more than £330,000 of the company's shares a month after it reported an encouraging start to the year.On 21 July, Tate & Lyle said it has made a strong start to the year with profit ahead of the comparative period in constant currency terms.This, the company said in a trading update for the three months to 30 June, supported its "confidence that we will continue to make progress, at constant currency, in the full year."Hampton sold 45,600 shares at 738.5p each, giving a total value of £336,756.01.At 16:39 BST, shares in Tate & Lyle were down 0.34% to 737.5p.Meantime, two directors of British American Tobacco sold shares, after the company on 28 July reported improved revenue driven by a strong volume performance and good pricing in a half-year report.The company's regional director for Asia, Jack Bowles, sold a total of 511 shares at 4,840.1p each for a total value of £24,732.45.Its regional director for the Americas, Ricardo Oberlander, sold 967 shares at 4,870.94p for a total of £47,101.99.At 16:39 BST, shares in British American Tobacco were up 0.37% to 4,890.5p.Top Director BuysPaypoint (PAY)Director name: Taylor,DominicAmount purchased: 13 @ 1,002.00pValue: £130.26Paypoint (PAY)Director name: Earle,GeorgeAmount purchased: 12 @ 1,002.00pValue: £120.24Paypoint (PAY)Director name: Watkin-Rees,TimAmount purchased: 12 @ 1,002.00pValue: £120.24Top Director SellsTate & Lyle (TATE)Director name: Hampton,NickAmount sold: 45,600 @ 738.50pValue: £336,756.01Premier Veterinary Group (PVG)Director name: Tonner,DominicAmount sold: 50,000 @ 130.00pValue: £65,000.00Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM)Director name: Alfano,Diane ElizabethAmount sold: 5,000 @ 1,050.00pValue: £52,500.00British American Tobacco (BATS)Director name: Oberlander,Ricardo Amount sold: 967 @ 4,870.94pValue: £47,101.99Ab Dynamics (ABDP)Director name: Rogers,Timothy (Tim) John Amount sold: 10,000 @ 466.00pValue: £46,600.00Eco Animal Health Group (EAH)Director name: Clemo,Brett Amount sold: 8,070 @ 440.00pValue: £35,508.00British American Tobacco (BATS)Director name: Bowles, Jack Amount sold: 511 @ 4,840.01pValue: £24,732.45Eco Animal Health Group (EAH)Director name: Loomes,Marc DenhamAmount sold: 4,040 @ 440.00pValue: £17,776.00