(Adds Hostess Brands, Harel Insurance, Superior Plus,
Volkswagen, Thai Union Group and Credit Suisse )
July 5 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions
and disposals were reported by 1330 GMT on Tuesday:
** Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa) Inc BRKa.N is
seeking permission from the Federal Reserve to increase its
ownership stake in Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) & Co WFC.N , after reaching the
10 percent level that could prompt increased regulatory
scrutiny. Hostess Brands LLC, the maker of Twinkies and Ding Dongs,
said an affiliate of private equity firm Gores Group will buy
the company in a $725 million deal and take it public.
Israeli conglomerate Delek Group DLEKG.TA said it
signed a non-binding deal to sell its insurance unit Phoenix
Holdings PHOE1.TA to China's Fujian Yango Group 000671.SZ
for at least 1.85 billion shekels ($481 million) in cash.
Harel Insurance Investments and Financial Services
HARL.TA and the Israel Infrastructure Fund are to buy 3
percent of the Tamar natural gas field from Texas-based Noble
Energy NBL.N for $369 million. Canadian chemical maker Superior Plus Corp SPB.TO said
it was selling its construction products distribution business
for $325 million to reduce debt and focus on its other
businesses. Volkswagen's VOWG_p.DE financial services business has
sold a 5 billion rouble ($78 million) bond in Russia to fund its
local operations, it said on Tuesday, its first issue in the
country's battered debt market in almost two years. Johnston Press Plc JPR.L , publisher of the Scotsman and
the Yorkshire Post, said on Monday it would sell its Isle of Man
titles to Tindle Newspapers Ltd for 4.25 million pounds ($5.64
million) as part of a divestment programme. Thai Union Group Plc TU.BK , the world's largest canned
tuna producer, said on Tuesday it would buy a majority stake in
Canadian lobster processor Les Pecheries de Chez Nous (Chez
Nous) for an undisclosed amount. Midea 000333.SZ looked set to secure a 52.8 percent
controlling stake in German robotics maker Kuka KU2G.DE on
Monday after shareholders Voith VOITH.UL and Friedhelm Loh
sold their stakes to the Chinese bidder. Singapore-based fund Effissimo, established by former
colleagues of Japan's most famous activist investor, Yoshiaki
Murakami, bought 5.44 percent of Japan Display Inc 6740.T ,
according to a regulatory filing made on Monday. A small Australian miner on Monday bought Rio Tinto's
RIO.AX Blair Athol coal mine in Queensland state for a token
A$1, swooping in as big miners offload unprofitable assets after
years of low coal prices. Turkish parcel delivery firm Aras Kargo wants to buy back
Austrian Post's POST.VI 25 percent stake in the company so it
can better pursue its own international expansion, it said on
Monday. France's Iliad ILD.PA is in exclusive talks on a deal
to create a fourth Italian mobile telecoms operator that would
smooth the way for CK Hutchison Holdings 0001.HK to merge its
3 Italia with Vimpelcom's VIP.O Wind, sources close to the
matter said on Monday. Cia Energética de Minas Gerais SA, the gas unit of Cemig
CMIG4.SA , has hired at least three investment banks to prepare
the sale of small hydropower plants and a gas distribution unit,
according to three sources with direct knowledge of the plans,
part of efforts by Brazil's second-largest power distribution
firm to cut its debt. Credit Suisse CSGN.S is merging its fixed income and
equities divisions in Asia Pacific, according to an internal
memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday, as the Swiss bank overhauls its
global markets businesses.