UPDATE 2-Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

(Adds Porsche and MonotaRO Co Ltd)

June 19 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 2000 GMT on Friday.

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

** Several U.S. private equity firms and Taiwanese financial groups are showing early interest in the sale of AIG's Taiwan life insurance unit, banking sources said, in a deal the seller hopes could raise around $2 billion.

To read more, please double-click on [ID:nHKG68156]

** German car maker Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) is in advanced talks to buy a stake in sports car maker Porsche (PSHG_p.DE), German publication 'manager magazin' reported on its website, citing financial sources. [ID:nWEA7586]

** Former Merrill Lynch executive Winthrop Smith denied approaching Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis with two other former Merrill executives to discuss buying back all or part of the bank. [ID:nN19439260]

** Russia's LUKOIL (LKOH.MM) will buy a stake in a Dutch refinery from France's Total (TOTF.PA), gaining a foothold in northwest Europe and blocking a bid by the largest U.S refiner, Valero (VLO.N), to enter the region. [ID:nLJ579651]

** Russia's largest carmaker AvtoVAZ (AVAZ.MM) is not considering any partnerships with Germany's Opel or Canada's Magna (MGa.TO), its president said, contradicting remarks from the head of Sberbank. [ID:nLJ152771]

** China's top offshore oil and gas producer, CNOOC Ltd (0883.HK), has hired Goldman Sachs (GS.N) to advise it on a bid for a stake in Africa-focused oil and gas firm Kosmos Energy, a source said, in a deal that may be worth about $3 billion. [ID:nHKG68766]

** Austrian Airlines (AUA) (AUAV.VI) offered to cut its fleet to win European Commission approval for its planned takeover by Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), the head of AUA's current owner was quoted as saying. [ID:nLJ274165]

** Polish builder PBG PBGG.WA is in talks with Energomontaz-Poludnie EMPD.WA about investing in the rival company and plans to announce a takeover of a Ukrainian construction group, PBG's deputy head said. [ID:nLJ74542]

** U.S. food maker Hormel Foods (HRL.N) and Mexico's Herdez Del Fuerte are forming a joint venture to sell Mexican foods in the United States, tapping into a fast-growing market. [ID:nN18412268]

** Troubled Candover agreed to sell energy research firm Wood Mackenzie to rival Charterhouse for an enterprise value of 553 million pounds ($905 million), in this year's biggest European purchase by a private equity firm. [ID:nLJ251842]

** Pluspetrol Resources Corp NV said it will bid about C$400 million ($354 million) for Petro Andina Resources Inc PAR.TO to expand its oil and gas operations in Argentina, Colombia and Trinidad. [ID:nN18388398]

** Industrial distributor W.W. Grainger Inc (GWW.N) said it plans to increase its stake to 53 percent in Japan's MonotaRO Co Ltd (3064.T) through an investment of $4 million. [ID:nBNG478375] (Compiled by Antonita Madonna Devotta and Archana Shankar in Bangalore)