UPDATE 2-Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions
(Updates Morgan Stanley and HBOS, adds Alitalia, Constellation Energy and others)
Sept 18 (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\] )
** Italian airline Alitalia AZPIa.MI faced the prospect of liquidation after a business group that had mounted a rescue bid withdrew its offer, citing union opposition.
To read more, please double click on [ID:nLI475291]
** Constellation Energy Group Inc (CEG.N) agreed to sell itself to a unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) (BRKb.N) for about $4.7 billion in cash after investor fears about its liquidity cut its value by nearly 60 percent. [ID:nN18377942]
** Morgan Stanley (MS.N), its shares and bonds battered by anxious investors, is in talks to sell a larger equity stake to China Investment Corp at the same time it's in merger talks with Wachovia Corp WB.N and other banks, a person familiar with the firm's plans said. [ID:nN18387625]
** Lloyds TSB (LLOY.L) rescued Britain's biggest mortgage lender HBOS Plc HBOS.L in a $22 billion takeover as the government swept aside competition rules to ease the deal through. [ID:nLI311934]
** French power group EDF (EDF.PA) is close to a deal to buy British Energy BGY.L that would secure its expansion and Britain's nuclear power future, without making big new concessions, EDF sources said. [ID:nLI715578]
** Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N), the largest U.S. meat producer, said that it planned to buy three Brazilian poultry companies in its entry into Latin America's biggest economy. [ID:nN18326901]
** National Bank of Canada (NA.TO) said it has acquired securities broker Retirement Option Group for an undisclosed sum, expanding its wealth-management business in the province of Quebec. [ID:nN18337343]
** Kingfisher Plc (KGF.L), Europe's biggest home improvement retailer, would sell its 21 percent stake in Germany's Hornbach (HBMG.DE) if it was offered a good enough price, its chief executive said. [ID:nLI579836] (Compiled by Aftab Ahmed and Amiteshwar Singh in Bangalore)
