Oct 26 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday:
** China's CCCC International Holding Ltd will buy Canadian construction company Aecon Group Inc ARE.TO for C$1.51 billion ($1.18 billion), including debt, in a deal that would require Canadian government approval.
Activist investors seeking to block Clariant 's CLN.S $20-billion merger deal with Huntsman Corp HUN.N have increased their stake in the Swiss specialty chemical maker to above 20 percent, triggering a disclosure filing, a source close to the matter said.
French agricultural cooperative InVivo's retail division is in exclusive talks over a potential alliance with gardening retailer Jardiland, the companies said.
Air Berlin AB1.DE is aiming for a deal with either Thomas Cook's Condor TCG.L or easyJet EZJ.L on Friday for some of its remaining airline operations, after agreeing to sell its maintenance unit to a consortium.
Shares in Mexican bank Grupo Financiero Banorte GFNORTEO.MX rose more than 5 percent, a day after it agreed to buy peer Grupo Financiero Interacciones GFINTERO.MX in a deal that would create the country's second-biggest financial group.
Seven groups ranging from the Tea Party Patriots to liberal consumer groups warned against AT&T (NYSE:T)'s T.N plan to buy Time Warner TWX.N in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, saying the deal could give one company too much power over what Americans see on television.
German drugmaker Bayer BAYGn.DE has cut the value of its takeover of Monsanto (NYSE:MON) MON.N by $2.5 billion, which combined with windfalls from asset sales means it may have to raise less than expected from shareholders.
Poland's second-largest refiner Grupa Lotos is considering taking over a number of petrol stations in Poland and acquisitions of foreign upstream assets, the firm's Chief Executive Officer Marcin Jastrzebski said.
Seagate Technology PLC STX.O , a member of the group taking over Toshiba Corp's 6502.T chip unit, pledged not to buy any stake in the unit for 10 years as part of the $18-billion deal, showed a document from group leader Bain Capital LP reviewed by Reuters.
Pfizer PFE (NYSE:PFE).N plans to kick off an auction process for its consumer healthcare business in November, paving the way for a potential $15 billion-plus sale of the headache pill to lip balm business, sources close to the matter told Reuters.
Saudi Aramco Overseas Company (AOC), a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, has entered into an arrangement to buy a stake in a Rotterdam terminal from commodities trader Gunvor, the company said.
Colony Capital, the private equity arm of real estate investment trust Colony NorthStar Inc CLNS.N, is facing hurdles in its talks to buy The Weistein Company because the company is seeking higher bidders, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people close to the discussions.
China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd 1333.HK said it had acquired a controlling stake in an Australian all-aluminium super-yacht builder, as the Chinese firm aims to expand the application of aluminium in the marine sector.
Bank Grupo Financiero Banorte said on Wednesday it had signed an agreement to acquire closely linked peer Interacciones in a cash-and-stock deal that would create Mexico's second-biggest financial group.