WALLENBERG GROUP RAISES STAKE IN ERICSSON
Sweden's Wallenberg group said it
raised its holding in telecommunications maker Telefon AB L.M.
Ericsson <eric.St.> to 37.5 of the voting rights from 28.9 pct.
    The move by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, one
of the institutions at the core of the group of companies
formed by the late industrialist Marcus Wallenberg, further
consolidated group control over one of its key firms, analysts
said.
    The foundation now controls 14.1 pct of Ericsson's voting
rights with 22.3 pct held by the group's investment companies
<AB Investor> and <Forvaltnings AB Providentia>.
    The move comes after the Wallenberg group fought off a
hostile takeover bid earlier this month for match and packaging
conglomerate Swedish Match AB <smbs.St> from arms and chemical
concern Nobel Industrier AB <NOBL.ST> by increasing its stake
in Swedish Match to 85 pct from 33 pct.
 REUTER
