UPDATE 3-Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

(Adds Banco Popolare, updates Validus Holdings)

July 2 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday.

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

** Exelon Corp (EXC.N) raised its hostile takeover bid for independent power producer NRG Energy Inc (NRG.N) by more than 12 percent to $7.45 billion to sway investors ahead of NRG's annual meeting.

To read more, double click on [ID:nN02545292]

** Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) is to take over most of Elan Corp's (ELN.I) Alzheimer's research and invest $1 billion in new Elan equity in exchange for an 18.4 percent stake in the Irish drugmaker, the companies said. [ID:nL2891369]

** Securities firm International Assets Holding Corp (IAAC.O) agreed to buy commodity risk management firm FCStone Group Inc FCSX.O in an all-stock deal valued at about $130 million, as it looks to expand presence in the commodities market. [ID:nBNG513528]

** GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) expanded its emerging markets footprint by buying Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMY.N) branded generics drugs business in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Libya and Yemen for $23.2 million. [ID:nL2729622]

** Reinsurer Validus Holdings Ltd (VR.N) reiterated its unsolicited offer for rival IPC Holdings Ltd (IPCR.O) despite a competing bid from Flagstone Reinsurance Ltd (FSR.N). [ID:nN02159295]

** Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) could still win quick European Union regulatory approval for its planned takeover of Austrian Airlines (AUAV.VI) if it makes concessions within days, the European Commission said. [ID:nL2888258]

** Opel frontrunner Magna's (MGa.TO) consortium partner Sberbank (SBER.RTS) said the race to acquire the carmaker was all but over, though Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co (BAIC) may still lodge a bid in the coming days. [ID:nL2541989]

** Onex Corp (OCX.TO) said it acquired a majority stake in the Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Casino after the property emerged from bankruptcy protection. [ID:nN02546000]

** Swedish Match (SWMA.ST) said it had agreed to sell its South African operations to Philip Morris International (PM.N) for 1.75 billion rand ($224.7 million). [ID:nL2546432]

** Spanish holding company Alba (ALB.MC) has bought a 10 percent stake in technology firm Indra (IDR.MC) from utility Union Fenosa (UNF.MC) at 15 euros per share, Alba and Fenosa said. [ID:nL216725]

** Icelandic investment firm Novator sold its 20.11 percent stake in sporting goods firm Amer Sports (AMEAS.HE) to institutional investors at roughly a 15 percent discount to Wednesday's closing price. [ID:nL2569946]

** Italy's Banco Popolare (BAPO.MI) said it would reopen the bid period for its buyout offer on its affiliate Banca Italease (BIL.MI) after it failed to achieve the 90 percent limit set in the offer. [ID:nL2226090] (Compiled by Tina Kwan in Singapore, Manasi Phadke and Sakshi A Mattoo in Bangalore)