Oct 19 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1000 GMT on Monday:
** Australia's CIMIC Group CIM.AX said on Sunday it will sell half of its mining services business to activist hedge fund Elliott Management, valuing the unit Thiess at A$4.3 billion ($3.04 billion). Altice USA Inc's ATUS.N C$11.1 billion ($8.43 billion) revised offer to acquire Cogeco CGO.TO was rejected by the Canadian cable company's top investor, the Audet family, on Sunday. American Equity Investment Life Holding Co AEL.N said on Sunday it entered into a partnership with Brookfield Asset Management Inc BAMa.TO , which is taking a 19.9% stake in American Equity, and rejected an unsolicited offer from Athene Holding Ltd ATH.N and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest said on Sunday his private company bought bootmaker R.M. Williams (NYSE:WMB) from a fund backed by French fashion giant LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE LVMH.PA , returning ownership of the famed fashion label to its home country after six years. Synlait Milk Ltd SML.NZ said its unit Dairyworks had sold its Deep South ice cream operations to New Zealand-based food company Talley's Group, as it looks trim its portfolio and focus on its core cheese business. South African chemicals and fertiliser maker Omnia Holdings OMNJ.J said it reached an agreement with agricultural service group Rovensa to sell its Oro Agri business for $146.9 million. Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) Group Holdings BABA.N 9988.HK said it will invest $3.6 billion to acquire a controlling stake in hypermarket operator Sun Art Retail Group Ltd 6808.HK , gaining further ground in China's retail market. ADQ, a holding company owned by the Abu Dhabi government, said it has signed an agreement with regional retailer Lulu International to help fund its expansion in Egypt with an investment of up to $1 billion. Finland's Sanoma SAA1V.HE said it has agreed to acquire learning materials provider Santillana Spain from Spanish publisher Promotora de Informaciones PRS.MC for 465 million euros ($544 million). UK's regional airline Flybe will be sold to a firm affiliated with investment adviser Cyrus Capital and may start flying again from 2021, its joint administrators said, months after the British firm became one of the first pandemic casualties.