Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

July 17 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 0400 GMT on Thursday.

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

** Chinese state-owned trading firm Sinosteel has lifted its stake in Australian iron ore explorer Midwest Corp MIS.AX to 54 percent, with its takeover offer due to close. To read more, please double click on [nSYD271108]

** Indonesia's PT Bumi Resources (BUMI.JK) has acquired a majority stake in Australian-listed Herald Resources Ltd (HER.AX) after Herald's board recommended Bumi's improved A$563 million ($547 million) bid. [nSYD217358]

** Australian mining contractor Ausdrill Ltd (ASL.AX) has agreed to buy Taylor Wimpey Plc's (TW.L) mining division in Ghana for $20 million, expanding its business in Africa, coveted by its suitor Macmahon Holdings Ltd (MAH.AX). [nSYD212321]

** Hudson's Bay Co, the Canadian retailer whose name is synonymous with the country's frontier past, was bought by the U.S.-based private equity fund that owns the Lord & Taylor department store chain, one of the oldest names in American retailing. [nN16271901]

** Merrill Lynch & Co Inc MER.N has agreed to sell its 20 percent stake in Bloomberg LP back to the news and financial data company for about $4.5 billion, a source familiar with the situation said. [nN16336218] (Compiled by Tina Kwan in Singapore)