Companies keen on fresh stakes

London: The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, US and Asian companies were reported on Tuesday.

South Korea's largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, said talks to buy a major stake in a credit card unit from Hana Financial Group were at an advanced stage.

Shares of Suzuki Motor Corp rose nearly four per cent a day after sources said that Volkswagen AG is planning to take a stake of up to 20 per cent in the Japanese automaker.

Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals will buy BHP Billiton's closed Ravensthorpe nickel mine for $340 million (Dh1.3 billion), paving the way to revive production that could add nearly three per cent to world supply.

Canadian uranium miner Cameco Corp has agreed to sell its stake in Asia-focussed Centerra Gold for proceeds of C$872 million (Dh3 billion), closing out an investment deal with Kyrgyzstan signed earlier this year.

Shareholders in Australian coal miner Felix Resources approved a A$3.3-billion (Dh11 billion) takeover offer from Chinese firm Yanzhou Coal Mining Co, Felix said.

Liberty Media Corp CEO Greg Maffei said on Tuesday that his company will look at the Hollywood studio and library assets of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which is considering selling itself to the highest bidder.

Simon Property Group Inc, the largest US mall owner, struck a deal to buy Prime Outlets Acquisition Co for $700 million (Dh2.57 billion), adding 22 outlet centres to its stable of high-end centres.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc agreed to buy its licensee Diedrich Coffee Inc for $35 a share in cash, extending its dominance of the single-cup coffee market and ending a bidding war with Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc

Turkey's Ak-Can Seker made the highest bid of $606 million in the sale of six Turkish sugar factories, boosting the country's faltering privatisation process.

Dutch utility Eneco said it would take over the solar energy company Ecostream France, completing its acquisition of parts of Dutch firm Econcern, which was declared bankrupt earlier this year.

QuadraMed Corp, a provider of health care software and services, said it agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Francisco Partners in an all-cash deal valued at about $126 million.

Talbots Inc laid out an acquisition and financing plan that would reduce debt and end a 21-year relationship with Japan-based majority owner Aeon Co, boosting the clothing retailer's stock 19 per cent.

Japanese beverage firm Kirin Holdings said it would raise its stake in a Chinese soft drinks joint venture to 93.04 per cent from 57.66 per cent.

India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp has received bids from Japanese firms Itochu Corp and Mitsui & Co to buy a 25 per cent stake in a unit of the Indian energy major, the Economic Times said.