Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

(Adds Hewlett-Packard, Polyus Gold, Amica Mature Lifestyles, Trafigura, BMW, Mondi) Sept 2 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday: ** BG Group Plc said the European Union's antitrust regulators had approved Royal Dutch Shell Plc's $70 billion takeover bid for the oil and gas producer. ** German carmakers BMW, Audi and Mercedes have won U.S. antitrust approval to buy Nokia's maps business for around 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion), the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday. ** Hewlett-Packard Co is exploring a sale of computer network security solutions unit TippingPoint ahead of a corporate split later this year, according to people familiar with the matter. ** British retailer Tesco Plc has picked private equity firm MBK Partners as the preferred bidder to buy its South Korean unit, people with direct knowledge of the process said, in a deal that could be valued at as much as $6.6 billion. ** BayBridge Seniors Housing Inc, owned by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, is taking luxury senior homes operator Amica Mature Lifestyles Inc private for C$578 million ($437 million). ** Online gambling company GVC Holdings Plc could go hostile in the 1-billion-pound ($1.5 billion) battle for Bwin.party Digital Entertainment if Bwin's board recommends a lower offer from 888 Holdings Plc, the Times newspaper reported, citing the company's chairman. ** Brazilian mining firm Vale SA said on Tuesday that it had received 4 billion reais ($1.08 billion) from the sale of a 36.4 percent stake in its Mineracoes Brasileiras Reunidas SA subsidiary, which was announced in July. ** The European Commission said on Wednesday it had opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether Mondi's planned purchase of two packaging plants of Walki Group would harm competition. ** Citigroup Inc agreed to sell its consumer banking business in Hungary to Austria's Erste Group Bank AG as the third-biggest U.S. bank by assets continues to divest non-core operating businesses. Citi did not disclose financial terms of the deal, but said the sale was not material. ** Clariant's plan to separate the largest of its four divisions from the rest of its chemicals operations could open up the low-margin business to external investors over time, its chief executive said. ** The Bank of Portugal has failed to reach an agreement with China's Anbang Insurance Group Co in exclusive talks over the sale of state-rescued Novo Banco and will now open talks with the second-placed bidder. A source close to the process said China's Fosun International had received an invitation to start talks on buying Novo Banco. ** Said Kerimov, the son of Russian tycoon and parliamentarian Suleiman Kerimov, may announce a buyout offer for the remaining shares in Russia's biggest gold producer Polyus Gold at $2.97 per share, according to a statement on Wednesday. ** Poland's biggest power firm PGE may consider selling its telecom business as part of a divestment plan designed to cope with rising CO2 emission costs and tough competition, Puls Biznesu quoted Chief Executive Marek Woszczyk as saying on Wednesday. ** Providence Equity Partners and PT Indosat Tbk are the only two bidders for a majority stake in Indonesian TV and broadband operator PT Link Net Tbk after the price tag of up to $1 billion put off other potential buyers, people familiar with the process said. ** Deutsche Bank has no plans to reduce its presence in China, but the fate of Deutsche's stake in brokerage Hua Xia remained open, co-CEO Juergen Fitschen said on Wednesday. ** Italian holding company Exor said on Wednesday it had closed this week the sale of Cushman & Wakefield to Chicago-based DTZ in a deal that valued the U.S. real estate services group at $2 billion. ** Singapore wealth fund GIC will invest about 19.9 billion rupees ($300 million) in a new joint venture with Indian real estate developer DLF that will build two projects in India's capital, New Delhi, the two firms said. ** Swiss trading house Trafigura said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy two iron ore mines from MMX Sudeste Mineracao SA, the Brazilian mining firm run by fallen tycoon Eike Batista and under bankruptcy protection. ** Canada's Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc agreed to buy surgical device maker Synergetics USA Inc, its eighth acquisition this year. At $6.50 per share, the offer was worth about $166 million based on Synergetics' diluted outstanding shares as of April 30. ** Austrian bank Raiffeisen might look at whether to merge its listed international division with its unlisted parent company to become more efficient, according to a senior executive quoted by an Austrian newspaper. ** The owners of Dead Sea cosmetics maker Ahava have reached a preliminary agreement to sell control of the Israeli company in a deal that values it at 300 million shekels ($76.3 million). Gaon Holdings, which owns 15.72 percent of Ahava, did not name the buyer, but Israeli news website Globes reported it to be China's Fosun International. ($1 = 0.65 pounds) ($1 = 3.70 reais) ($1 = 66.26 Indian rupees) ($1 = C$1.32) (Compiled by Manish Parashar and Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru)