Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

Nov 23 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 1000 GMT on Monday.

(For Reuters columns on deals, click on [DEALTALK/])

** Cadbury Plc CBRY.L shares hit a record high on speculation of a battle for the British confectioner between bidder Kraft Foods Inc (KFT.N) and rivals who are considering making takeover offers, analysts said.

To read more, please double click on [ID:nGEE5AM0LK]

** India's Reliance Industries (RELI.BO) is offering about $12 billion to buy a controlling interest in bankrupt chemical company LyondellBasell Industries [ACCEIN.UL] to create one of the largest petrochemical firm in the world, two sources with direct knowledge of the deal said. [ID:nBOM114694]

** An Abu Dhabi fund-led consortium and a group including a U.S. builder have been picked as preferred buyers of Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co Ltd (047040.KS), a deal estimated to fetch about $2.6 billion. [ID:nSEO97180]

** U.S. billionaire investor Wilbur Ross plans to buy shares of China Longyuan Power Group, Asia's largest wind power generator, which aims to raise up to $2.2 billion from its Hong Kong initial public offering, according to a preliminary prospectus. [ID:nSEO123043]

** UK explorer Heritage Oil (HOIL.L) said it had agreed to sell its Ugandan interests to Italy's Eni (ENI.MI) for up to $1.5 billion as the Italian oil major builds its presence in Africa through acquisitions. [ID:nGEE5AM07K]

** Ciena Corp (CIEN.O) will buy the optical networking and carrier ethernet business of bankrupt Nortel for $769 million, sources told Reuters, after it trumped Nokia Siemens Networks [NSN.UL] in a three-day auction. [ID:nGEE5AM0EO]

** Haitong Securities (600837.SS), China's second-biggest listed brokerage by market value, will buy 53 percent of Hong Kong's Taifook Securities (0665.HK) for $235 million, in a deal that may trigger a wave of purchases by Chinese brokers looking to expand abroad. [ID:nSEO291996]

** Emirates National Oil Co (ENOC) will not increase its bid for Dragon Oil (DGO.I) (DGO.L), the group's chief executive said. [ID:nGEE5AM0RN]

** Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska will not exercise an option he has to buy back his 25 percent stake in Austrian builder Strabag (STRV.VI) this year, but will extend it to next year, Strabag said. [ID:nGEE5AM0P1] ((Compiled by Fareha Khan in Bangalore) ((fareha.khan@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800 Reuters Messaging: fareha.khan.reuters.com@reuters.net))