(Adds Verizon, Tata Steel , Marfrig Global Foods, Construction Bank, Nokia, UniCredit; updates Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), Metroweb )
April 6 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday:
** U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) PFE.N and Ireland-based Allergan (NYSE:AGN_pa) Plc AGN.N walked away from their $160 billion merger on Wednesday, a major win for President Barack Obama, who has been pushing to curb deals in which companies move overseas to save on taxes. The U.S. government filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to stop Halliburton Co HAL.N from buying Baker Hughes Inc BHI.N , arguing the combination of the No. 2 and No. 3 oil services companies would lead to higher prices in the sector. Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) VZ.N said it agreed to buy a 24.5 percent stake in AwesomenessTV, whose YouTube channels are among the most popular on the video site, for about $160 million. India's Tata Steel TISC.NS will launch the formal sale process for its British assets by Monday at the latest, Britain's business minister Sajid Javid said after a meeting with the company's chairman in Mumbai. Marfrig Global Foods SA MRFG3.SA has agreed to sell three meatpacking and a livestock confinement unit in Argentina to a subsidiary of China's Foresun Group for $75 million, in the latest asset sale by the debt-ridden Brazilian meatpacker. China Construction Bank 601939.SS finalised a deal on Wednesday to buy a majority stake in Britain's Metdist Trading Limited, becoming the second Chinese company to gain access the London Metal Exchange (LME) trading floor. Telecom network equipment maker Nokia NOKIA.HE is planning to cut thousands of jobs worldwide, including 1,400 in Germany and 1,300 in its native Finland, as part of a cost-cutting programme following its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent (PA:ALUA). Fiber network group Metroweb is still holding parallel talks on a potential deal to develop Italy's broadband network with utility Enel ENEI.MI and phone group Telecom Italia TLIT.MI , three sources close to the matter said on Wednesday. French utility Engie ENGIE.PA and Japan's Marubeni 8002.T are among several suitors preparing to bid for Chevron (NYSE:CVX) Corp's CVX.N Asian geothermal energy blocks valued at about $3 billion, sources familiar with the matter said. Huatai Securities Co Ltd 601688.SS is seeking to acquire U.S. asset management software maker AssetMark Inc for as much as $800 million, according to people familiar with the matter, in the latest example of a Chinese company taking an interest in U.S. businesses. South Africa's Sun International SUIJ.J has shelved its 9.5 billion rand ($623 million) plan to buy rival casino owner Peermont Group, the company said on Wednesday. German machine tool maker DMG Mori AG GILG.DE is in talks with its Japanese parent about a domination and profit transfer agreement after DMG Mori Co. Ltd 6141.T lifted its stake above 75 percent, it said on Wednesday. Angolan investor Isabel dos Santos and Caixabank CABK.MC have resumed talks on the Spanish bank's attempt to buy dos Santos' stake in Portugal's Banco BPI BBPI.LS and find a solution to BPI's holdings in Africa, a source said on Wednesday. Officials from China State Grid STGRD.UL visited energy transmission projects in Brazil under construction by Abengoa SA ABG.MC to evaluate the merits of a takeover of the assets that had stalled last year when the Spanish firm ran into financial problems, two sources confirmed on Tuesday. The board of directors of Irish oil producer Petroceltic PCI.I has recommended shareholders accept an all-cash offer from investor Worldview Capital Management, saying a court examinership was likely to otherwise render the shares worthless. Spanish builder Sacyr SCYR.MC said on Wednesday it has no immediate intention of selling part of its stake in oil company Repsol REP.MC , after a report in newspaper Expansion that it was planning on cutting its position to 6.5 percent. Polish bluechip lender Alior Bank ALRR.WA plans to raise up to 2.2 billion zlotys ($587 million) from a rights issue of shares to finance its flagged takeover of local rival BPH BPHP.WA and strengthen its capital base, it said on Wednesday. Philippines lender Rizal Commercial Banking Corp's (RCBC) RCB.PS top two shareholders have each increased their stakes in the bank, buying $9.48 million of stock in total, the lender told the Manila stock exchange on Wednesday. China's Anbang Insurance Group has signed an agreement to buy Allianz's ALVG.DE South Korean life insurance unit for about 250 billion won ($216 million), a South Korean newspaper reported on Wednesday. Australian detention camp operator Broadspectrum Ltd BRS.AX on Wednesday urged shareholders to reject an improved A$769 million ($581 million) takeover offer from Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial SA FER.MC , saying the new bid still undervalues the target. State-owned New Zealand Post has received offers from two other state firms to buy separate stakes in domestic lender Kiwibank in a move that would allow Wellington to cut debt at the postal service and boost capital without bringing in private investors. Mexican industrial conglomerate Alfa ALFAA.MX said on Tuesday it had not yet made a binding restructuring proposal for Colombia-based oil company Pacific Exploration & Production Corp PRE.TO , adding it would inform markets if it decides to do so. ($1 = 15.2391 rand)