(Updates Microsoft; Adds FWD Group Holdings, Hindustan Zinc
Ltd)
Feb 21 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,
acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1800 GMT on Tuesday:
** Microsoft President Brad Smith will seek to
convince EU antitrust regulators at a closed hearing that the
U.S. software giant's $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker
Activision Blizzard will boost competition.
** Equinor has agreed to sell its South Riding
Point oil terminal in the Bahamas to Estonian logistics and
investment company Liwathon Group, the Norwegian oil and gas
producer said.
** HSBC said it still expects to complete the sale
of its Russia business in first-half 2023, in the most
significant update on the progress of the deal since it said in
July 2022 it had agreed to sell the unit to local lender
Expobank.
** South African precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater , the biggest shareholder in Australian zinc miner New
Century Resources , said it had launched an unsolicited
takeover offer after losing confidence in the target's board.
** Commonwealth Bank of Australia's Group Super
corporate fund has entered into a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the Australian Retirement Trust to pursue a merger,
the lender said.
** As Rogers Communications' long-delayed takeover
of Shaw Communications Inc nears its final hurdle,
bankers, lawyers and shareholder advisors are preparing to
finally pocket a C$100 million-plus ($75 million) fee from the
bitterly contested deal.
** Adani Group's billionaire founder Gautam Adani has
decided against bidding for a stake in electricity trader PTC
India Ltd as the beleaguered conglomerate looks to
conserve cash amid a short seller attack, Bloomberg News
reported on Monday.
** Insurance firm FWD Group Holdings Ltd said on
Monday it would buy a majority stake in Malaysian insurer
Gibraltar BSN Life Bhd for an undisclosed price, expanding its
presence in the country's full-service insurance business.
** Australia's Link Administration Holdings (Link Group) said on Monday that it is in advanced discussions to
settle a probe into its UK-based Link Fund Solutions (LFS) unit
and to sell the firm to Dublin-based Waystone Group.
** The Indian government has opposed Hindustan Zinc Ltd's $2.98 billion acquisition of assets from the flagship
firm of Vedanta Resources, dealing a blow to billionaire Anil
Agarwal's plans to trim down the mining giant's $7.7 billion net
debt.
** Societe Generale , France's third-biggest bank,
is in talks to sell the Russian business of its listed car
leasing arm ALD to a Russian buyer, Les Echos reported
on Monday, citing unnamed sources.
** Shipping and logistics group A.P. Moller-Maersk has agreed to sell its two logistics sites in
Russia to IG Finance Development Limited, it said on Monday,
nearly marking the end of its business activities in the
country.
** French car parts maker Faurecia has agreed to
sell its SAS Cockpit Modules arm to automotive supplier
Motherson Group , in a transaction based on an
enterprise value of 540 million euros ($577.5 million), Faurecia
said on Sunday.
** U.S. private equity firm TPG said on Sunday it and other
investors had bought Malaysian private education assets from
regional buyout firm KV Asia Capital.
** U.S.-based hedge fund giant Elliott Investment Management
is planning to offer financing for a bid to take over Manchester
United Plc , sources close to the matter told Reuters. (Compiled by Rajarshi Roy and Pratik Jain in Bengaluru)
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