(Adds Xilinx, Piraeus Bank Bulgaria, AIK bank, Bahri, Newell Brands, Investment Technology, Denel, Inwit)
Nov 7 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2100 GMT on Wednesday:
** Xilinx Inc XLNX.O has hired Barclays (LON:BARC) to advise on a bid to buy Mellanox Technologies Ltd MLNX.O after approaching the smaller chipmaker with an offer, CNBC reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Poland's JSW JSW.WA is interested in taking over Australia's Prairie Mining PDZ.AX , Chief Executive Daniel Ozon confirmed. High-speed trading firm Virtu Financial Inc VIRT.O is buying independent brokerage Investment Technology Group Inc (ITG) ITG.O for about $1 billion, ITG said as Virtu looks to add more big institutional investors. Italy's Enel ENEI.MI played down talk it was interested in buying Colombian distributor Electricaribe after citing acquisitions as one of the reasons for raising its 2018 debt guidance on Tuesday. Alabama-based coal miner Drummond Co Inc DRMND.UL has canceled the possible sale of at least a portion of its operations in Colombia, for which it had hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) GS.N as an adviser, Drummond said. Kraft Heinz Co KHC.O has agreed to sell its Canadian natural cheese business to Parmalat SpA PLT.MI in a C$1.62 billion ($1.23 billion) deal that will help Kraft trim its debt and extend the North American footprint of Parmalat owner Lactalis. Newell Brands Inc NWL.N is selling its Pure Fishing and Jostens businesses for combined $2.5 billion, it said, the latest in a series of asset sales aimed at increasing its focus on more profitable consumer products. High-speed trading firm Virtu Financial Inc VIRT.O is buying independent brokerage Investment Technology Group Inc (ITG) ITG.N for about $1 billion, ITG said as Virtu looks to add more big institutional investors. Hyundai Motor Co 005380.KS has raised its stakes in growing Southeast Asian markets with a $250 million investment in Singapore's Grab, its second in the ride-hailing firm, as it chases rivals in the race for new-age transportation. A business group representing German broadband providers called on European Union regulators to block the takeover by Vodafone VOD.L of Liberty Global's LBTYA.O German operations, saying it would hurt competition. Randgold Resources RRS.L shareholders approved a $6.1 billion all-stock takeover by Barrick Gold ABX.TO , clearing one of the final hurdles to creating the world's largest gold company. Italian tower company Inwit INWT.MI is looking at opportunities to buy tower assets in the country, including those of Vodafone VOD.L , CEO Giovanni Ferigo said. The board of Kuwait Finance House KFH.KW will likely decide on whether to go ahead with a merger with Bahrain's Ahli United Bank AUBB.BH before the end of the year, the Kuwaiti lender's chief executive told Reuters. Australia is poised to bar Hong Kong-based CK Group going ahead with a A$13 billion ($9.4 billion) takeover of the country's biggest gas pipeline company, APA Group APA.AX , based on a preliminary view that it would be against the national interest. AXA Investment Managers will acquire a U.S. debt investment team and a $9.4 billion portfolio of U.S. commercial mortgage loans from Quadrant Real Estate Advisors, AXA said. Bega Cheese Ltd BGA.AX said it plans to vote in favor of selling its stake in Capilano Honey Ltd CZZ.AX to a China-focused consortium. Private equity firm Thoma Bravo LLC has approached Symantec Corp SYMC.O to express interest in acquiring the Norton antivirus software maker, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Buyout firm Blackstone (NYSE:BX) Group LP BX.N and privately held LLOG Exploration Company are working with an investment bank to sell their Gulf of Mexico oil exploration joint venture for more than $2 billion, people familiar with the matter said. Saudi Arabia's Bahri 4030.SE is targeting acquisitions in Asia and the Middle East as the exclusive oil shipper for state energy giant Saudi Aramco seeks to expand its reach, the chief executive said. Greece's Eurobank EFGr.AT said it had agreed to acquire Piraeus Bank Bulgaria for 75 million euros. The Slovenian central bank said it had granted Serbia's AIK bank AIKB.BEL renewed permission to take over Slovenia's Gorenjska Banka GBKR.LJ . The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is opposed to the government selling a stake in struggling state-run arms firm Denel and will fight attempts to force through salary cuts, the union said.