NICE to see DCC chief executive Jim Flavin showing his faith in the industrial holding company by increasing his stake to just short of a million shares.

Mind you, Mr Flavin bought his latest 150,000 shares at an option price of 75.8p for just over £113,000 and these shares are worth £330,000 at DCC's current market price. His 955,000 shares in DCC are worth £2.1 million.

Flavin is to be applauded for exercising the share options and actually holding on to the shares - most option deals seem to involve directors immediately selling the shares back into the market at a hefty profit.