Oct 30 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1100 GMT on Friday:
** Cleveland-based KeyCorp (N:KEY) KEY.N said it will buy Buffalo-based First Niagara Financial Group Inc FNFG.O for $4.1 billion, one of the largest deals among U.S. regional banks this year.
** Chinese state-backed technology conglomerate Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd is buying a 25 percent stake in Powertech Technology Inc 6239.TW for $600 million, becoming the largest shareholder in the Taiwanese chip packaging and testing company.
** European Union antitrust regulators will decide by Dec. 23 whether to clear U.S. drinks can maker Ball Corp (N:BLL)'s 4.43-billion-pound ($6.8 billion) proposed takeover of British peer Rexam REX.L , a two-week delay from the previous deadline.
** AirAsia AIRA.KL founder Tony Fernandes began talks with bankers to take Asia's No.1 budget airline private after a plunge in its stock price put $200 million worth of loans borrowed against AirAsia's shares at risk, people familiar with the situation told Reuters.
** The head of Japan's Sharp Corp 6753.T said it was in talks with several companies on possible deals for its loss-making liquid crystal display (LCD) business, which posted a loss of 12.7 billion yen ($105 million) in the July-September quarter.
** Samsung (KS:005930) Group SAGR.UL will sell its chemicals businesses to local conglomerate Lotte Group for about 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion), the latest move to simplify its structure ahead of a transfer of power from its elderly chief to his heirs.
** Buyout firm TPG Capital Management LP is exploring a sale or initial public offering of Nexeo Solutions LLC, hoping a deal would value the U.S. chemical distribution company at close to $2 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter.
** American International Group Inc (N:AIG) directors are discussing a spinoff or sale of the company's small mortgage-insurance business as it faces new pressure from shareholders to break itself apart, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
** Australian logistics firm Qube Holdings Ltd QUB.AX said it and partners had bought a near 20 percent stake in freight firm Asciano Ltd AIO.AX , seeking to block a $6.5 billion bid from Canada's Brookfield Asset Management BAMa.TO.
** Airbus Group AIR.PA aims to sell its remaining stake of around 23.4 percent in Dassault Aviation AVMD.PA by the end of next year, Finance Director Harald Wilhelm said.
** Xavier Niel, the founder of low-cost French mobile operator Iliad ILD.PA , has increased his holding in Telecom Italia TLIT.MI to the equivalent of a 15.143 percent voting stake, a filing from Italian market regulator Consob showed.
** Canadian Oil Sands COS.TO , the largest-interest owner in the Syncrude oil sands project, has not received any offers to rival Suncor Energy 's SU.TO hostile takeover bid but is "getting interest", Chief Executive Ryan Kubik said on Thursday.
** Raytheon Co's Websense unit is buying Intel Corp 's INTC.O Finnish cybersecurity arm, Stonesoft, according to news media reports.
** U.S. private equity group Centerbridge Partners has appointed investment banks to sell Spanish property services firm Aktua, five sources familiar with the matter said.
** Europe's largest hotel group Accor SA ACCP.PA is planning to buy Canada-based FRHI Hotels & Resorts for about $3 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources.