Oct 12 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1000 GMT on Thursday:
** Canada's Metro Inc MRU.TO said it would sell a major portion of its stake in Alimentation Couche Tard Inc ATDb.TO to fund its C$4.5 billion acquisition of pharmacy chain Jean Coutu Group PJCa.TO .
Lufthansa LHAG.DE will sign a deal to buy parts of its insolvent smaller German rival Air Berlin AB1.DE, Lufthansa's chief executive Carsten Spohr said.
Australian No. 2 hotel company Mantra Group Ltd MTR.AX agreed to a A$1.18-billion ($920 million) buyout from larger Accor SA ACCP.PA, a deal which would join the country's top two hotel groups at a time when tourism is rising sharply.
Chinese firms, including high-end equipment maker Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot Co 000584.SZ, plan to bid for German industrial company FFT, likely to be valued at up to $712 million, two people familiar with the matter said.
U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management Corp has raised its stake in Japan's Hitachi Kokusai Electric 6756.T to 8.59 percent from 7.11 percent, a regulatory filing showed, one of several such hikes since it first disclosed a stake in the firm last month.
South Korea's embattled Lotte Group said several firms have expressed interest in acquiring its Lotte Mart stores in China and that is aiming for a sale by the end of this year.
Japan's Asahi Group Holdings 2502.T said it is considering selling all or part of its 19.99 percent stake in Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd 600600.SS, its latest divestment from China's beer industry as it seeks growth in Europe and other Asian markets.
WPP WPP.L, the world's biggest advertising agency, stepped up its efforts to stop U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital from buying Japan's Asatsu-DK Inc 9747.T, saying the offer significantly undervalued its stake in the firm.
Buyout fund CVC Capital Partners' strategic opportunities platform and the L'Oreal family's OREP.PA Tethys Invest have entered exclusive talks to acquire a majority stake in France's Sebia, the companies said.
Alteri Investors has agreed to buy Dutch toy store chain Intertoys from Blokker Holding for an undisclosed sum, the Dutch company said.
MMG Ltd 1208.HK, the international mining unit of state-owned China Minmetals Corp, has become China's preferred developer of overseas projects and is looking at acquisitions beyond its core strengths of copper and zinc, MMG's chief executive said.