The directors buying FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 shares now

Coronavirus is a huge unknown, but these execs know their companies better than anyone else.

Amid the volatility, profit warnings and downgrades, dozens of directors have been splashing their own cash on bombed-out shares in their own companies over recent weeks.

For many, the opportunity will have been too good to miss after coronavirus panic sent the price of their companies to levels not seen for many years, if not ever. Even if the outbreak is wreaking havoc in markets, the fundamentals of the business will not have changed.

Their purchases will also offer some reassurance to investors, who may be encouraged to see that management think that all is not lost despite the current levels of turmoil.

There were more than 50 director share purchases declared to the market on Monday alone, with the vast majority of these now sitting on hefty paper losses. Many bosses will have been prevented from taking action until now, given that the company results season prevents them from buying shares until after the end of their close period.

FTSE 100 director share purchases this week

Go-Ahead (LSE:GOG) chief executive David Brown bought his shares following the publication of the transport group's interim results on Thursday.

He spent just under £10,000 when the mid-cap stock was already at its lowest level in a decade, only to see it crash another 44% as the market reacted to the social curbs set to hit passenger numbers at Go-Ahead's regional bus services and Thameslink and Southeastern rail franchises.

Clare Hollingsworth, who is Go-Ahead's chairwoman, is also currently down £12,800 on her investment of £25,000 of shares last week.

One of the biggest director share deals in recent days has been by Barclays (LSE:BARC) chairman Nigel Higgins, whose purchase of £294,200 of stock last Wednesday is down 29% or £85,000. G4S (LSE:GFS) CEO Ashley Almanza's acquisition of £105,251 shares the following day is also under water, having fallen 14% in less than a week.

Going further back to February, it's possible that some of the directors buying shares then in their own companies may have had second thoughts if they'd known what was in store for markets. Royal Mail (LSE:RMG) boss Rico Back, for example, bought more than £530,000 worth of stock that's already lost £100,000 in value.