Market Chatter -- Corporate finance press digest
LONDON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The following corporate finance-related stories involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by media on Friday:
* Spain's Promotora de Informaciones SA, or Prisa, received preliminary interest from six potential bidders to buy its satellite television business Digital+, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person close to the situation.
Prisa (PRS.MC) is in talks with Telefonica SA (TEF.MC), France Telecom SA (FTE.PA), Vivendi SA (VIV.PA), Mediaset SpA (MS.MI), Telefonos de Mexico SAB (TELMEXL.MX) and with News Corp NWSa.N, the newspaper said.
* French utility EDF (EDF.PA) has moved closer to a deal to buy nuclear generator British Energy BGY.L after fruitful talks with some of the company's biggest investors, the Financial Times said on Friday. [ID:nBNG322126]
* Altria Group Inc (MO.N) is in advanced talks to buy US Inc UST.N, known for its Skoal and Copenhagen smokeless tobacco brands, for more than $10 billion, the New York Times said, citing people close to the negotiations. [ID:nWNAB9683]
* India's Tata Group is eyeing a spin-off of its international steel assets, including Corus, in an overseas listing that could raise billions of dollars to help bankroll the steel unit's (TISC.BO) expansion, the FT reported.
* Dell Inc (DELL.O) is trying to sell computer factories around the world in efforts to cut cost and improve profitability, the Wall Street Journal said. [ID:nWNAB9682]
* Lehman Brothers Holding Inc LEH.N is considering a plan to put some $32 billion of its commercial real estate and mortgage assets in a new company and spin it off, Bloomberg reported on its website on Thursday. [ID:nN04417001]
* India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC.BO) is in talks to acquire Canada's Tanganyika Oil Co Ltd TUKSsdb.ST for about $1.2-1.5 billion, the Mint newspaper reported on Friday, quoting unidentified sources familiar with the deal. [ID:nDEL321245]
* Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) could take a stake of 10 to 20 percent in a revitalised group spun out of bankrupt Alitalia AZPIa.MI and become a majority owner within five years, French daily La Tribune reported. [ID:nL4474011]
For Deals of the day, click on [nSP20408]
(Reporting by Douwe Miedema; Editing by Quentin Bryar)
