Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

Aug 8 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 0400 GMT on Friday.

(For Reuters columns on deals, click on [DEALTALK\]

** Indicative bids for General Electric Co's (GE.N) potential sale of its Australian mortgage business are due next week, but bankers do not expect a stampede as likely buyers grapple with the fallout of a global credit crisis. To read more, please double click on [nSYD89236]

** Australia's Newcrest Mining Ltd (NCM.AX) said it acquired an initial 30 percent stake in a Papua New Guinea gold mine joint venture, paying around $230 million to partner Harmony Gold (HARJ.J). [nSYU004895]

** Mexico's America Movil, the largest cellphone operator in Latin America, said it bought Nicaraguan telecommunications company Estesa Holding Corp. [nN07362180]

** British based investment company Guinness Peat Group Ltd (GPG.NZ) (GPG.L) said it sold its 29.7 percent stake in mid-sized insurer Tower Australia (TWR.AX) to Japan's Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance. [nWLF000997] (Compiled by Tina Kwan in Singapore)