UPDATE 3-Deals of the day - mergers and acquisitions
(Updates Magna, adds Ascopiave, Santander)
May 22 (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/])
** Magna International (MGa.TO) emerged as a favourite to acquire General Motors GM.N unit Opel after top German officials said the Canadian car parts group had submitted a better plan than rival bidders Fiat (FIA.MI) and Belgian-listed private equity investor RHJ International (RHJI.BR).
To read more, please double click on [ID:nLM89886]
** Banco Santander (SAN.MC) said it agreed to sell its stake in Banco de Venezuela to the country's government for $1.050 billion. [ID:nLM16399]
** SK Telecom (017670.KS), South Korea's top mobile carrier, said it would buy a network business for 892.9 billion won ($719.5 million) from sister firm SK Networks (001740.KS). [ID:nSEO65177]
** French nuclear reactor maker Areva (CEPFi.PA) sold its stakes in utility group GDF Suez (GSZ.PA) and oil major Total (TOTF.PA) to raise cash and finance planned investments, the Wall Street Journal reported. [ID:nLM84792]
** State-owned Korea Development Bank plans to sell its $450 million stake in Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co (034020.KS), sources familiar with the matter said, amid an upswing in the South Korean stock market. [ID:nSP481224]
** North east Italian gas company Ascopiave SpA (ASCI.MI) has won the contest to acquire Pasubio Servizi, which sells gas in the Vicenza area of north-east Italy, Ascopiave said. [ID:nLM965300] (Compiled by Tina Kwan in Singapore; Mansi Dutta and Anand Basu in Bangalore)
