(Adds Eagle Materials; updates Marathon Petroleum, Metro)
May 8 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2030 GMT on Wednesday:
** New York-based hedge fund Sachem Head Capital Management urged Eagle Materials Inc EXP.N to separate its cement and wallboard businesses and nominated two candidates to the company's board. U.S. communications infrastructure provider Zayo Group Holdings Inc ZAYO.N said it agreed to be sold to investment firms Digital Colony Partners LP and EQT for about $8.2 billion in cash. Marathon Petroleum Corp (NYSE:MPC) MPC.N said it would combine its midstream units in a $9 billion deal, but shares fell more than 5 percent following a surprise quarterly loss on lower-than-expected refining margins. Abu Dhabi investment firms Gulf Capital and Waha Capital WAHA.AD have held exploratory discussions regarding a merger, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Australia's anti-trust regulator blocked a A$15 billion ($11 billion) merger between TPG Telecom TPM.AX and Vodafone's VOD.L Australian joint venture on competition grounds, knocking shares in the firms involved. Brazilian healthcare provider Hapvida Participacoes e Investimentos SA HAPV3.SA will look for more acquisitions in the near future after agreeing to acquire rival group Sao Francisco Saude for 5 billion reais ($1.26 billion), Chief Executive Officer Jorge Pinheiro told reporters on Tuesday. Brazilian education company Arco Platform Ltd ARCE.O has agreed to buy rival Sistema Positivo de Ensino for 1.65 billion reais ($415 million), the company said in a statement. Australian listed car dealer Automotive Holdings Ltd AHG.AX recommended a takeover proposal from larger rival AP Eagers APE.AX after the suitor raised its indicative offer to A$836 million ($586.2 million). Private equity firm Waterton Global Resource Management Inc said it agreed to not increase its stake in Hudbay Minerals Inc HBM.TO , HBM.N to more than 15 percent after the private equity firm settled its drawn out proxy contest with the Canadian miner. Singapore-based ride-hailing company Grab is weighing a spin-off of its payments and financial services business, the Financial Times reported, citing executives and investors. JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) JPM.N could become the first foreign company to own a majority stake in its Chinese mutual fund business, after its joint venture partner put a crucial 2 percent of the business up for sale that analysts expect the Wall Street bank to lap up. Singapore-based ride-hailing company Grab has mandated a few banks to approach potential investors to take minority stakes in its financial services business as it looks to spin off the unit, according to two people familiar with the matter. Metro is in exclusive talks to sell its Real hypermarkets to a consortium led by real estate investor Redos, the German retailer said, adding it was taking a 385 million euro ($431 million) impairment charge on the loss-making chain. Japanese telco SoftBank Corp 9434.T said it would spend $4 billion to up its stake in Yahoo (NASDAQ:AABA) Japan Corp 4689.T and turn the internet company into a subsidiary, a move that would help boost its profit by 24 percent this year. Norwegian oil and gas firm DNO DNO.OL eyes new acquisitions in the next 12 months after acquiring formerly London-listed Faroe Petroleum earlier this year, DNO's executive chairman told Reuters. A fund backed by veteran Japanese activist shareholder Yoshiaki Murakami extended the offer period for a buyout tender of Japanese printing firm Kosaido Co 7868.T by nearly two weeks, amid tensions between the fund and the company over the bid.