Frasers Group PLC - Shirebrook, England-based owner of House of Fraser, Sports Direct and Flannels retail chains - Mike Ashley, founder and 67% shareholder, pledges 26.5 million shares, a 5.6% stake, to HSBC Private Bank as security for a derivatives trading facility. The transaction is via investment vehicle Mash Holdings Ltd, and Ashley remains the owner of the shares, with full voting rights. Mash also sells share settled put options over 1.0 million shares at a strike price of 800 pence, worth GBP8.0 million, on Friday last week and on Monday. The put options expire in September. Back in December, Ashley had sold put options and bought spread bets over Fraser shares. The earlier put options also expire in September.

Current stock price: 753.00p, up 1.7% early Tuesday in London

12-month change: up 13%

By Tom Waite, Alliance News editor

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