(Adds Bankia , Viacom Inc, Deutsche Boerse, Esselunga, Northland Power, Cosco Shipping Ports, Artis, Hindustan Copper, Cesp Cia Energética, Bonaire, updates Lufthansa)
Sept 28 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday:
** Spain's bank rescue fund said on Wednesday it would look into a merger between state-owned banks Bankia BKIA.MC and Banco Mare Nostrum (BMN) that would potentially create a new entity with total assets of over 240 billion euros ($269 billion). SABMiller SAB.L shareholders overwhelmingly backed the brewer's $100 billion-plus takeover by Anheuser-Busch InBev ABI.BR , clearing the last big hurdle for one of the largest corporate mergers in history. Sumner Redstone's National Amusements Inc is preparing to call on CBS Corp (NYSE:CBS) CBS.N and Viacom Inc VIAB.O to explore a merger, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. EU antitrust regulators on Wednesday raised a raft of concerns over the proposed $28 billion merger between Deutsche Boerse DB1Gn.DE and the London Stock Exchange LSE.L , saying it could hinder competition in key financial market activities. At least four private equity funds including BC Partners are in talks to buy a majority stake in Italy's fourth-biggest supermarket chain Esselunga in a deal worth up to 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion), sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Canadian power group Northland Power NPI.TO is looking for a new owner, its chief financial officer said, as part of its strategic review begun in July aimed at boosting growth and shareholder value. The company, which operates thermal and renewable energy stations in Canada and Europe, is worth C$4.06 billion ($3.07 billion). Phoenix Group Holdings PHNX.L , Britain's largest owner of life assurance funds closed to new customers, said it would buy Deutsche Bank AG's DBKGn.DE British insurance business Abbey Life Assurance Co for 935 million pounds ($1.22 billion) in cash. A.P. Moller-Maersk MAERSKb.CO , Danske Bank DANSKE.CO and Nordea Bank NDA.CO will sell their shareholdings in shipping lender Danish Ship Finance worth 4.25 billion Danish crowns ($638.05 million) to a consortium of Danish investment funds. Bank Leumi LUMI.TA agreed to sell 80 percent of a 2 billion shekel ($533 million) mortgage loan portfolio to insurance company Menorah Mivtachim Holdings MMHD.TA , Israel's second-largest bank said. China's Cosco Shipping Ports 600428.SS will invest $400 million in building a container terminal in Abu Dhabi as the emirate aims to expand trade with the world's second largest economy, a senior company official said on Wednesday. Shipping may also consider buying the port assets of troubled South Korean firm Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd 117930.KS , Chinese online finance magazine Caixin reported. Deutsche Post DHL DPWGn.DE is buying independent British postal operator UK Mail Group UKM.L for 243 million pounds ($316 million) to cement its foothold in Europe's three largest e-commerce markets, Britain, Germany and France. Dutch financial services company ING Group INGA.AS is selling a $300 million stake in Indian lender Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd KTKM.NS in a block trade on Thursday, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters. Canada's Artis Real Estate Investment Trust AX_u.TO is looking to sell retail and industrial assets in Alberta worth about C$300 million ($227 million) to diversify away from the oil-producing province, according to two sources familiar with the process. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT) WMT.N is in talks to buy a minority stake in India's largest e-commerce firm Flipkart, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the world's biggest retailer aims to get a slice of a fast-growing online retail market. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) GS.N is investing $70 million in Red Planet Hotels, a pan-Asian budget hotel chain, which will help the company fund its planned expansion to 10 hotels in the next 24 months. India is selling a 7 percent stake in state-run Hindustan Copper Ltd HCPR.NS in stock market deals over two days to Friday, potentially raising the government 4.02 billion rupees ($60.5 million). Lufthansa LHAG.DE plans to expand its low-cost airline Eurowings by taking over the 55 percent of Brussels Airlines the German carrier does not own, plus leasing up to 40 planes from ailing rival Air Berlin AB1.DE , it said on Wednesday. A planned sale of the controlling stake that the Brazilian state of São Paulo has in power generation company Cesp Cia Energética de São Paulo SA CESP6.SA is likely to happen at some point next year, a senior state official said on Wednesday. Bonaire Participações SA, an investment holding company comprised of four Brazilian pension funds, said on Wednesday it will sell a stake it holds in the controlling bloc of shares at power company CPFL Energia SA CPFE3.SA to China's State Grid Corp STGRD.UL .