((Automated translation by Reuters, please see disclaimer https://bit.ly/rtrsauto))
(Austria adds Strabag and Allfunds)
The following deals, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures were reported at 2000 GMT on Wednesday:
** Dutch infrastructure group VTTI and German asset manager IKAV have teamed up to buy a majority stake in Italy’s largest liquefied natural gas terminal, VTTI said.
** SIX Group has ruled out making an offer for fund distribution group Allfunds ALLFG.AS after studying an acquisition, and will instead consider other deals that can expand its data business or give it access to new classes of assets, its chief executive Jos Dijsselhof told Reuters.
** Apax Partners is exploring options, including a sale, for its British insurance broker PIB Group, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
** Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska’s 1.5 billion euro ($1.62 billion) stake in Austrian company Strabag STRV.VI has been transferred to another Russian-registered company whose ownership is not clear, said the Vienna-based construction company
** Canadian gold mining company Alamos Gold AGI.TO will acquire smaller rival Argonaut Gold AR.TO for $325 million in an all-stock deal, the two companies said.
** The chairman of Italian carrier ITA Airways said the planned merger with Lufthansa had the full support of the German airline and the government in Rome, and that he was confident it would go ahead despite objections from Brussels.
** German broadcaster ProSiebensat.1 PSMGn.DE opposed MFE-MediaForEurope MFEB.MI’s proposal to split the company and called on shareholders to reject its main investor’s plan at the annual general meeting of the next month.
** International Paper IP.N has sparked a potential bidding war for British paper packaging company DS Smith SMDS.L , making a takeover offer that sent the target company’s shares up the FTSE-100 to a two-year high.
** German rail operator Deutsche Bahn DBN.UL said it would take some time to evaluate bids received for its logistics subsidiary Schenker after the submission deadline.
** Between seven and 10 companies have made non-binding offers for Schenker, the logistics subsidiary of German national railway company Deutsche Bahn, business daily Handelsblatt reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
** Renault RENA.PA plans to sell a roughly 2.5% stake in Nissan 7201.T shares to the Japanese automaker in a deal that could generate up to 362 million euros ($392 million) , declared the French company.
** German energy company SEFE will become owner of the WIGA gas transmission network by buying its partner Wintershall Dea WINT.UL, the latest sign of Berlin’s control over energy infrastructure.
** MKAO Rasperia Trading Limited, a shareholder of Strabag
STRV.VI, formerly controlled by Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, has been sold to Russian company Iliadis JSC, the Austrian construction company said.
** Swiss steel group STLN.S said its French unit Ascometal had ended exclusive negotiations announced in December regarding the sale of several of its sites in France to Italian steelmaker Acciaiere Venete.
** U.S. oil refiner Phillips 66 PSX.N is exploring the possibility of selling its 25% stake in the Rockies Express Pipeline, which could be worth more than $1 billion including debt, people familiar with the matter said Tuesday. case.