(Adds GE, Sports Authority, CK Hutchison, Reichhold; Updates
McKesson, Petrobras)
March 2 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,
acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2100 GMT on
Wednesday:
** General Electric (NYSE:GE) Co GE.N said it would sell its India
commercial lending and leasing businesses to a consortium of
former GE Capital executives and Aion Capital Partners as it
looks to trim itself and focus on its industrial
businesses. Sports Authority Inc filed for Chapter 11 protection in
the face of growing online competition, touching off a scramble
to close weaker stores and find a buyer before the end of next
month. CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd 0001.HK has offered
concessions in a bid to secure EU antitrust approval for its
proposed 10.3-billion-pound ($14.47 billion) bid for
Telefonica's TEF.MC British mobile unit, the European
Commission said. U.S. chemicals group Reichhold REICH.UL has emerged as
the frontrunner to buy Italian polymers maker Polynt ININDY.UL
in a deal that could net about 700 million euros ($759 million)
for Polynt's private equity owner Investindustrial, two sources
familiar with the matter said. Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro
agreement to sell its controlling stake in Petrobras Argentina
PER.BA to Pampa Energia SA for about $1.2 billion, a source
familiar with the talks told Reuters. DuPont (NYSE:DD) DD.N said that U.S. regulators need more time to
review materials related to its merger with Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW),
according to a filing. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEx) 0388.HK
said it isn't actively looking for acquisition targets, even as
it is keeping a close eye on a proposed bid for the London Stock
Exchange (LSE) LSE.L by Deutsche Boerse DB1Gn.DE .
UBS UBSG.VX may consider making acquisitions to boost
its European wealth management business to take market share
from rivals, its private banking head for Europe told Reuters.
Britain will take a step closer this week to a planned
privatisation of its Green Investment Bank, and could sell the
whole business, sources familiar with the situation said.
Hollywood studio DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc DWA.O
would be interested in a merger with Viacom Inc's VIAB.O
Paramount Pictures, the company's chief executive said on
Tuesday. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and the city's Office of
the People's Counsel both said that they would oppose changes
that the city's Public Service Commission made to a pact that
would allow Exelon (NYSE:EXC) Corp's EXC.N deal to buy Pepco Holdings Inc
POM.N , dealing a tough blow to the gigantic deal. The American Hospital Association warned U.S. antitrust
regulators that Anthem Inc's ANTM.N proposed acquisition of
Cigna Corp (NYSE:CI) CI.N will hurt other health insurers' ability to
compete with Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, leading to higher
premiums for consumers. U.S. drug distributor McKesson Corp (NYSE:MCK) MCK.N said it would
buy drugstore chain Rexall Health from Katz Group for C$3
billion ($2.23 billion) to strengthen its position in Canada's
pharmaceutical supply chain. Canadian label and packaging maker CCL Industries Inc
CCLb.TO is buying U.S.-based Checkpoint Systems Inc CKP.N ,
which makes anti-theft tags used by retailers, for about $422
million. Cisco Systems CSCO.O said it plans to acquire Israel's
Leaba Semiconductor, a designer of networking chips, for $320
million in cash plus additional incentives to retain employees.
Alice + Olivia LLC, the U.S contemporary apparel company
known for its playful designs, is exploring selling an equity
stake, according to people familiar with the matter.
China Resources Beer will pay $1.6 billion to buy out
SABMiller Plc's SAB.L stake in their China Resources Snow
Breweries venture, a much lower price than expected and sending
shares in the state-backed firm soaring by a quarter in value.
Chinese energy group State Grid STGRD.UL said on
Tuesday it is interested in acquiring power transmission assets
in Brazil held by the troubled Spanish conglomerate Abengoa SA
ABG.MC . Spain's Caixabank CABK.MC made an offer in January to
Angolan investor Isabel dos Santos for her stake in BPI
BBPI.LS , a source close to the talks said, in a bid to gain
control over the Portuguese lender. Japanese group Hitachi 6501.T has increased its
mandatory buyout offer on Ansaldo STS minorities to 9.68 euros
per share from 9.50 euros in a bid to overcome opposition from
investment funds to its bid, Ansaldo said. South Korea's Doosan Infracore Co Ltd 042670.KS is
close to selling its machine tools business to private equity
firm MBK Partners for 1.18 trillion won ($955.62 million), South
Korean media reported. South African furniture group Steinhoff's SNHG.DE
SNHJ.J Conforama unit is considering a counterbid for Darty
DRTY.L , Europe's No. 3 electrical goods retailer, competing
with Fnac's FNAC.PA agreed offer for the company. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (NYSE:FCAU) (FCA) FCHA.MI and CIR holding
CIRX.MI are considering merging their two editorial
operations, which include leading Italian daily newspapers La
Stampa and la Repubblica, sources said. Oil firm Det norske DETNOR.OL will take over smaller
competitor Noreco's NOR.OL Norwegian license portfolio and a
pile of cash at no cost, the latest in a string of deals by
companies on Norway's continental shelf, it said on Wednesday
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has signed a decree
that allows an increase of foreign ownership in local airlines
to 49 percent from 20 percent, a government source told Reuters
on Tuesday. Abu Dhabi state-owned fund Mubadala is open to selling
its aviation services unit SR Technics, an executive at the
company said, confirming a previous media report. Dubai-based Network International has agreed to buy rival
Emerging Markets Payments (EMP) from private equity firm Actis
for, what sources familiar with the matter said was, $340
million.