TURNOVER values continued to fall on the directors' trades front, with total trades down to $1.9 million.
That was split $570,000 to $1.3 million in favour of buyers.
The previous week, the overall total was about $3.8 million.
Only a handful of companies have reported their full-year results and that is restricting director activity, and also nervousness concerning corporate earnings, not to mention the European situation, are also affecting dealing.
Buying of industrial counters was almost non-existent, although one exception was modest multi-director buying of Campbell Brothers - a global analytical and testing services business for the resources and food industries.
At the annual meeting this week, then chairman Geoffrey McGrath said he expected record tax-paid earnings for the September half to be up between 27 per cent and 37 per cent, to between $130 million and $140 million. But it was comments on the second half that caused discounting of the price.
Managing director Gregory Kilmister said signs of a potential weakening in global resources markets had now moved from speculation by economists and analysts to real signs. He added that commodity prices were down, there was concern about Europe and a supposed slow-down in China added to negative sentiment.
This week Campbell split its shares 5-for-1, and on that basis the scrip closed the week at $8.62, against a high on Tuesday of $10.58 - a 19 per cent deterioration.
Dipping their toes in the water were non-executive directors Grant Murdoch and Mel Bridges, who paid $9.34 and $9.44 respectively, buying a few days too early.
Meanwhile, three directors of newly floated Atrum Coal bought varying quantities of scrip and wanted the world to know.
The metallurgical coal explorer with areas in Canada issued scrip at 20¢, saw them sell as low as 17¢ on listing, and they're fetching 20¢.
"The on-market buying illustrates the directors' strong belief in the company's exploration and development strategy," said chairman James Chisholm.
And while on the resources game, interests associated with Joseph Gutnick spent $1734 on North Australian Diamonds scrip.
The reporter owns CPB scrip.