(Adds Verizon, Tata Steel , Marfrig Global Foods, Construction
Bank, Nokia, UniCredit; updates Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), Metroweb )
April 6 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,
acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on
Wednesday:
** U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) PFE.N and Ireland-based
Allergan (NYSE:AGN_pa) Plc AGN.N walked away from their $160 billion merger
on Wednesday, a major win for President Barack Obama, who has
been pushing to curb deals in which companies move overseas to
save on taxes. The U.S. government filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to stop
Halliburton Co HAL.N from buying Baker Hughes Inc BHI.N ,
arguing the combination of the No. 2 and No. 3 oil services
companies would lead to higher prices in the sector.
Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) VZ.N said it agreed to buy a
24.5 percent stake in AwesomenessTV, whose YouTube channels are
among the most popular on the video site, for about $160
million. India's Tata Steel TISC.NS will launch the formal sale
process for its British assets by Monday at the latest,
Britain's business minister Sajid Javid said after a meeting
with the company's chairman in Mumbai. Marfrig Global Foods SA MRFG3.SA has agreed to sell
three meatpacking and a livestock confinement unit in Argentina
to a subsidiary of China's Foresun Group for $75 million, in the
latest asset sale by the debt-ridden Brazilian meatpacker.
China Construction Bank 601939.SS finalised a deal on
Wednesday to buy a majority stake in Britain's Metdist Trading
Limited, becoming the second Chinese company to gain access the
London Metal Exchange (LME) trading floor. Telecom network equipment maker Nokia NOKIA.HE is
planning to cut thousands of jobs worldwide, including 1,400 in
Germany and 1,300 in its native Finland, as part of a
cost-cutting programme following its acquisition of
Alcatel-Lucent (PA:ALUA). Fiber network group Metroweb is still holding parallel
talks on a potential deal to develop Italy's broadband network
with utility Enel ENEI.MI and phone group Telecom Italia
TLIT.MI , three sources close to the matter said on Wednesday.
French utility Engie ENGIE.PA and Japan's Marubeni
8002.T are among several suitors preparing to bid for Chevron (NYSE:CVX)
Corp's CVX.N Asian geothermal energy blocks valued at about $3
billion, sources familiar with the matter said. Huatai Securities Co Ltd 601688.SS is seeking to
acquire U.S. asset management software maker AssetMark Inc for
as much as $800 million, according to people familiar with the
matter, in the latest example of a Chinese company taking an
interest in U.S. businesses. South Africa's Sun International SUIJ.J has shelved its
9.5 billion rand ($623 million) plan to buy rival casino owner
Peermont Group, the company said on Wednesday. German machine tool maker DMG Mori AG GILG.DE is in
talks with its Japanese parent about a domination and profit
transfer agreement after DMG Mori Co. Ltd 6141.T lifted its
stake above 75 percent, it said on Wednesday. Angolan investor Isabel dos Santos and Caixabank
CABK.MC have resumed talks on the Spanish bank's attempt to
buy dos Santos' stake in Portugal's Banco BPI BBPI.LS and find
a solution to BPI's holdings in Africa, a source said on
Wednesday. Officials from China State Grid STGRD.UL visited energy
transmission projects in Brazil under construction by Abengoa SA
ABG.MC to evaluate the merits of a takeover of the assets that
had stalled last year when the Spanish firm ran into financial
problems, two sources confirmed on Tuesday. The board of directors of Irish oil producer Petroceltic
PCI.I has recommended shareholders accept an all-cash offer
from investor Worldview Capital Management, saying a court
examinership was likely to otherwise render the shares
worthless. Spanish builder Sacyr SCYR.MC said on Wednesday it has
no immediate intention of selling part of its stake in oil
company Repsol REP.MC , after a report in newspaper Expansion
that it was planning on cutting its position to 6.5 percent.
Polish bluechip lender Alior Bank ALRR.WA plans to
raise up to 2.2 billion zlotys ($587 million) from a rights
issue of shares to finance its flagged takeover of local rival
BPH BPHP.WA and strengthen its capital base, it said on
Wednesday. Philippines lender Rizal Commercial Banking Corp's (RCBC)
RCB.PS top two shareholders have each increased their stakes
in the bank, buying $9.48 million of stock in total, the lender
told the Manila stock exchange on Wednesday. China's Anbang Insurance Group has signed an agreement to
buy Allianz's ALVG.DE South Korean life insurance unit for
about 250 billion won ($216 million), a South Korean newspaper
reported on Wednesday. Australian detention camp operator Broadspectrum Ltd
BRS.AX on Wednesday urged shareholders to reject an improved
A$769 million ($581 million) takeover offer from Spanish
infrastructure company Ferrovial SA FER.MC , saying the new bid
still undervalues the target. State-owned New Zealand Post has received offers from two
other state firms to buy separate stakes in domestic lender
Kiwibank in a move that would allow Wellington to cut debt at
the postal service and boost capital without bringing in private
investors. Mexican industrial conglomerate Alfa ALFAA.MX said on
Tuesday it had not yet made a binding restructuring proposal for
Colombia-based oil company Pacific Exploration & Production Corp
PRE.TO , adding it would inform markets if it decides to do so.
($1 = 15.2391 rand)