Feb 21 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2045 GMT on Wednesday:
** Microchip maker Broadcom Ltd AVGO.O cut its bid for Qualcomm Inc QCOM.O by 4 percent to $117 billion as it objected to Qualcomm's decision to raise its own bid for NXP Semiconductors NV NXPI.O to $44 billion.
Bombardier BBDb.TO should be "on alert" for merger opportunities that will enable its transportation unit to compete with larger rivals in an industry that is consolidating to help reduce costs, the chief executive of its biggest independent shareholder said.
U.S. grocer Albertsons Cos Inc said it would buy drug store chain Rite Aid Corp RAD.N to create a company with $83 billion in annual revenue, giving it more clout to compete with bigger chains in an industry fearing the entry of Amazon.Com AMZN.O.
Boeing (NYSE:BA) Co BA.N sees a "great strategic fit" in a possible acquisition of Brazilian plane maker Embraer SA EMBR3.SA but the deal is not essential, Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg said.
Italy's competition watchdog has extended a probe into Telecom Italia TLIT.MI to see whether the former state telephone monopoly hindered new rival Open Fiber's efforts to roll out an ultrafast broadband network.
Temenos TEMN.S agreed to a 1.4 billion pound ($1.96 billion) takeover of British software peer Fidessa Group FDSA.L on Wednesday, whose shares traded above the offer price after activist investor Elliott Capital Advisors disclosed a stake.
Thai oil and gas company PTT Pcl PTT.BK said it would increase its stake in oil refiner IRPC Pcl IRPC.BK, purchasing all the shares held by state-run lender Government Savings Bank for 13.85 billion baht ($439.26 million).
South Korean cosmetics and pharmaceuticals contract manufacturer Korea Kolmar Co 161890.KS beat out private equity firms for a deal to buy domestic health foods and drugmaker CJ HealthCare for $1.2 billion, sending its shares soaring.
China Hanking Holdings Ltd 3788.HK launched a takeover bid for Australia's Primary Gold Ltd PGO.AX in line with a plan to build a long-term Australian gold business, valuing the target firm at A$37.5 million ($29.6 million).
French telecoms group Orange ORAN.PA has no plans to merge with a rival in Germany or expand in another country in Africa, Chief Executive Officer Stephane Richard said.
U.S. drugmaker Merck (NYSE:MRK) & Co MRK.N, already one of the leaders in the hot area of cancer immunotherapy, said it had agreed to buy Viralytics VLA.AX for 502 million Australian dollars ($394 million) to expand its pipeline in the sector.
Germany's Robert Bosch ROBG.UL said it has acquired a carpooling start-up in the United States and created a new digital unit to further its expansion into data-based mobility services.
Dutch energy firm Eneco Group said it would buy from Uniper SE UN01.DE all E.ON branded sales and supply activities in the Benelux, representing about 200,000 retail and business customers.