Mergers and acquisitions

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on Wednesday:

** Australia's PSC Insurance PPSI will be acquired by Ardonagh Group in a deal valuing its equity at A$2.26 billion ($1.51 billion), PSC said, helping the UK-based insurance distribution platform expand its footprint in the region.

** The European Commission is due to rule on June 12 on whether to approve the European Energy Exchange's (EEX) planned acquisition of Nasdaq's NDAQ European power trading and clearing business, according to a regulatory filing.

** Japan's SoftBank Group 9984 is in talks to buy artificial intelligence (AI) chipmaker Graphcore, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

** Spanish lender BBVA BBVA has told Banco de Sabadell SAB it will not improve the all-share takeover offer it has made for its smaller rival, Sabadell said in a filing to the stock market regulator.

** Olam Agri (IPO-OLAA.SI) increased its offer for Australia's Namoi Cotton NNAM as an international bidding war heats up between the Singapore-based agribusiness and Dutch company Louis Dreyfus Co (LDC).

** Perpetual PPT said that buyout giant KKR & Co KKR would acquire its wealth management and corporate trust businesses for A$2.18 billion ($1.43 billion), sending the Australian financial services firm's shares to a five-month low.

** Niagara Energy has wrapped up a $1.36 billion share purchase in Enel Generacion Peru, giving the firm majority control over the local subsidiary of Italian utility Enel.

** South Korea's Samsung Medison said it is acquiring all of France's Sonio SAS, a fetal ultrasound artificial intelligence software company for about 126 billion won ($92.4 million).

** Leo Lithium LLL has signed an agreement with China's Ganfeng Lithium 002460 to sell its remaining 40% stake in a mine in Mali for $342.7 million, the Australian miner said.

** Oil and gas producers Santos STO and Repsol REP are exploring a sale of a minority stake in oilfields in Alaska they jointly own and develop in a deal that could be worth about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

** Brazilian pulp and paper company Suzano SUZB3 has approached U.S.-based International Paper IP to express interest in an all-cash acquisition that would be worth almost $15 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.