Feb 17 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1115 GMT on Friday:
** Insurer Allianz ALVG.DE toned down its appetite for deals after failing so far to pin down suitable deals to use cash it set aside, while announcing a bigger-than-expected share buyback and more generous 2016 dividend. German generic drugs company Stada STAGn.DE said on Thursday it had received its third takeover approach, and at 58 euros ($61.89) per share, the latest offer was 2 euros higher than rival suitor Cinven Partners' offer. Talks between Italy's Mediaset MS.MI and rival Sky SKYB.L for the sale of the Italian broadcaster's pay-TV unit Premium are at an advanced stage, Italian daily il Sole 24 Ore reported, without citing sources. German and U.S. defence groups Rheinmetall RHMG.DE and Raytheon RTN.N have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate globally on defence technology, they said in a joint statement. Toshiba Corp 6502.T said it would buy 3 percent of U.S. nuclear power subsidiary Westinghouse Electric Co LLC from Japanese infrastructure firm IHI Corp 7013.T for $157 million. Bosses at the Peugeot-maker PSA Group PEUP.PA have told the British government they would seek to build on the strengths of the Vauxhall car business if they succeed in buying its parent company, Opel. General Motors (NYSE:GM) GM.N Chief Executive Mary Barra made assurances at Opel's headquarters in Germany that the carmaker is to remain an independent company in any deal with France's PSA Group PEUP.PA , German monthly Manager Magazin reported, citing sources close to negotiations between GM and PSA. French industry minister Christophe Sirugue said he would meet Italy's Fincantieri FCT.MI in a week's time to discuss its bid for STX France, but added France was still against Fincantieri gaining dominance in the governance of STX France. Australian jobs website Seek Ltd SEK.AX said it is in talks to buy billionaire casino boss James Packer's stake in a Chinese subsidiary, in a deal which would further reduce Packer's investment exposure to China. EnBW EBKG.DE , Germany's third-largest utility group, said it had teamed up with Canada's Enbridge Inc ENB.TO for its offshore park Hohe See in the North Sea, which has an investment volume of around 1.8 billion euros ($1.92 billion). Dongfeng Motor Corp 0489.HK and China FAW Group Corp SASACJ.UL said they would build a joint innovation centre, a move that brings China's two oldest automakers together after they swapped top executives in 2015. Clariant's CLN.S Chief Executive Hariolf Kottmann has doused speculation the Swiss speciality chemical maker could soon unload its plastics and coatings business and use the proceeds to buy a big, faster-growing target. U.S. LED lighting maker Cree Inc CREE.O said it would terminate a deal to sell its Wolfspeed Power and RF division to German chipmaker Infineon Technologies AG IFXGn.DE , citing security concerns raised by the U.S. government. A proposed joint venture between state-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd SAIL.NS and ArcelorMittal SA ISPA.AS to build an $897 million automotive steel plant in India has hit an impasse, with the two disagreeing on key terms, officials said. Creditors of Abengoa Bioenergy US Holding, a unit of Spanish renewable energy company Abengoa SA ABG.MC , have reached an agreement over the distribution of asset sale proceeds, removing a key hurdle for the company to exit bankruptcy. Handbag and accessories maker Kate Spade & Co KATE.N said on Thursday it would explore strategic alternatives, bowing to pressure from U.S. hedge fund Caerus Investors.