Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

Aug 31 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2100 GMT on Friday:

** Kuwait's state-controlled oil company has signed a preliminary agreement to invest up to $4 billion in a joint venture with Athabasca Oil Corp in the northern Alberta oil sands, a newspaper said on Friday, marking the latest in a flood of foreign investments in the massive resource.

** American Airlines parent AMR Corp and US Airways Group Inc have signed a non-disclosure agreement as they evaluate a potential merger that would create an airline that rivals leader United Continental Holdings Inc in scope.

** Korean Air Lines Co was the sole preliminary bidder for an estimated 1.2 trillion won ($1.06 billion) stake in aircraft maker Korea Aerospace Industries, KAI's largest shareholder Korea Finance Corp said.

** Bank of Commerce Holdings a $927 million bank holding company, and parent company of Redding Bank of Commerce and Roseville Bank of Commerce, announced the sale of 51 percent ownership position in Bank of Commerce Mortgage.

** Shandong Heavy Industry Group will buy a one quarter stake in Kion Group for 738 million euro ($922 million), giving China access to industrial technology from the world's number two fork lift truck maker in the largest direct investment by a Chinese company in a German firm.

** China's Weichai Power Co Ltd will pay 467 million euros ($584 million) to take a 25 percent stake in German forklift truck maker Kion Group, the two companies said.

** Brazilian miner Vale said in a filing on Friday that it signed an agreement to sell 10 very large ore carriers for $600 million, but will continue leasing the vessels from Polaris Shipping Co Ltd.

** PT Bumi Resources, Asia's biggest thermal coal exporter, is aiming to sell its 50 percent stake in smaller coal miner PT Fajar Bumi Sakti for around $200 million to a local investor as it looks to pay down some of its debts, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Friday.

** Russia's Otkritie Financial Corp plans to take over banking group Nomos < N MOS.MM> in a deal that would create the country's second-largest private lender but was criticised for lack of clarity. [I D :nL6E8JV14S]

** Unlisted German hospitals chain Asklepios is planning to acquire more than 10 percent in rival Rhoen-Klinikum , a holding that would allow it to keep Rhoen's suitor Fresenius from taking full control of the target.

** Glencore International Plc has expressed interest in buying Alcoa Inc's aluminium plant on the island of Sardinia, Italy's industry ministry said after a meeting with company and labour representatives on Friday.

** Unlisted German hospitals chain Asklepios is planning to acquire more than 10 percent in rival Rhoen-Klinikum , a holding that would allow it to keep Rhoen's suitor Fresenius from taking full control of the target.

** One of the two bidders for the French Petit-Couronne refinery of insolvent oil firm Petroplus has withdrawn its offer, the site's management said.