Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions
Updates Coherent, adds ABB
March 17 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1330 GMT on Wednesday:
** Atlantia ATL.MI agreed to extend talks with a consortium led by state lender CDP over the sale of its 88% stake in motorway unit Autostrade per l'Italia to March 27, the Italian infrastructure group said. nL8N2LE6FJ
** Credit Agricole Italia CAGR.PA has amended its agreement with Algebris and will buy the 5.38% stake in Creval PCVI.MI held by the investment fund even if its takeover bid for the Italian bank falls through, the French group said. nL8N2LF0VD
** Swiss financial infrastructure group SIX remains on the hunt for acquisitions after its takeover of Spanish bourse BME in June helped boost 2020 results, finance chief Daniel Schmucki told Reuters. nZ8N2HS02Q
** Italy's biggest insurer, Generali GASI.MI, is studying an acquisition in Russia worth nearly 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion), Il Sole 24 Ore daily reported. nL8N2LF147
** Chime has held preliminary talks with investment banks about launching a stock market flotation, which could value the financial services startup at more than $30 billion, as soon as the end of 2021, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. nL3N2L33ZU
** Australia's Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX said it will combine its consumer and business divisions, as it looks to further simplify its operations. nL4N2LF08W
** New Zealand's Fonterra FCG.NZ said it will sell its joint venture farms in China and its remaining stake in infant formula maker Beingmate 002570.SZ as it looks to move its focus from Beijing and prioritise domestic operations. nL4N2LE4L0
** Chinese internet search giant Baidu Inc 9888.HK is set to raise $3.08 billion by pricing its shares at HK$252 ($32.45) each in its Hong Kong secondary listing, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. nL1N2LF09N
** Pfizer Inc PFE.N will stop producing biosimilar products in China and sell a unit in the eastern city of Hangzhou to WuXi Biologics Inc 2269.HK, the U.S. drugmaker said. nL1N2LF071
** Scope Group said that it bought Allianz-owned ALVG.DE Euler Hermes Rating for an undisclosed sum to strengthen its position in the ratings of mid-cap firms and project finance. nL8N2LF26R
** Coherent Inc COHR.O said optical fiber firm Lumentum Holdings Inc LITE.O had raised its offer for the company to $6.9 billion following a three-way takeover battle for the laser firm. nL4N2LF2GS
** Swiss engineering group ABB ABBN.S is preparing its turbocharging division for a sale or stock market listing and has picked Goldman Sachs GS.N and Credit Suisse CSGN.S to help with the divestiture, people close to the matter said. nL8N2LF3F2
(Compiled by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru)