Austria's top economic news - March 16

Businessman Michael Tojner has acquired above 30% in Private Equity Performance Beteiligungs AG and has to launch a takeover offer for the company. His proposal stands at EUR 1.66 per share, or 25.64% above the average share price of the company in the last six months.
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Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI)'s engagement in Japan stood at about EUR 500m at the end of February. However, three fourths of the exposure is secured via non-Japanese securities, the bank told APA. Erste Group said its exposure in the crisis-hit country was minor. Peers BAWAG P.S.K. and Volksbank AG, in turn, said they had not invested in Japan. Bank Austria, as part of Italian UniCredit, was unable to provide detailed figures. Insurers Vienna Insurance Group and Uniqa also said their engagement in the country was small.
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US asset manager Legg Mason Inc holds currently 10.6% in rubber specialist Semperit, the latter said. The stake corresponds to around 2.07m shares.
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Austria's EU harmonised annual inflation rate stood at 3.1% in February, compared to 2.5% in January, Statistik Austria reported. This was the highest rate since September 2008.