Market Chatter -- Corporate finance press digest

BANGALORE May 20 (Reuters) - The following corporate finance-related stories were reported by media on Thursday:

* Private equity groups Doughty Hanson [DOUHA.UL] and Charterhouse [CHCAP.UL] are eyeing Unilever's (ULVR.L) Italian frozen food unit, the Financial Times reported. [ID:nLDE64I2KT]

* China's Benxi Iron & Steel Group has agreed to acquire Beitai Steel, in a move that could make it No. 3 among the country's steelmakers after a planned merger with the Anben Steel Group, the China Business News reported. [ID:nTOE64J020]

* As many as 20 bidders are interested in buying U.S. software company Novell Inc NOVL.O, which has put itself up for sale and is this week accepting bids, the Wall Street Journal reported. [ID:nN19268405]

* Resona Holdings (8308.T) plans to buy back and retire about 400 billion yen ($4.36 billion) worth of preferred shares held by the government as early as this summer, the Nikkei business daily reported. [ID:nTOE64I07S] (Compiled by Shivani Singh; editing by Lincoln Feast)