Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions
(Adds Lukoil Elmos, Swedish Match, Glencore; Updates Yamana Gold)
Nov 4 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Friday:
** Russian oil producer Lukoil has declined an offer to sell its refinery in Sicily, Italy to U.S. private equity firm Crossbridge Energy Partners, after it questioned the firm's ability to pay for the deal, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people close to the talks.
** Swedish Match's small shareholders have sold parts or all of their holdings to lock in profits even though they oppose Marlboro-maker Philip Morris International's $16 billion bid for the company.
** Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd and Pan American Silver Corp swooped in with a joint bid for Yamana Gold , in an attempt to scupper Gold Fields' planned acquisition of the Canada-listed gold miner.
** Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said the electric carmaker has
never considered
investing in Swiss commodities group Glencore.
** Spanish telecom firm Telefonica considers the 50% stake in cellphone mast operator Cornerstone it owns with Liberty Global a "disposable asset" and sees high interest in the market for it, Chief Operating Officer Angel Vila told Reuters.
** Germany's Metro is exploring strategic options for its Indian unit and is in advanced discussions over a deal, a group spokesperson said, with analysts reckoning that the division could be valued at 500 million euros ($490 million) in a sale.
** A unit of Blackstone Inc is seeking to sell U.S. oil and gas producer PRI Operating for around $2 billion including debt, as the alternative asset manager continues its retreat from the oil patch, people familiar with the matter said.
** Germany has not yet reached a decision in its examination of a potential Chinese takeover of Dortmund-based company Elmos' chip production, an Economy Ministry spokesperson said.
** Berkshire Hathaway Inc, the investment firm owned by Warren Buffett, has sold 3.297 million Hong Kong-listed shares of electric vehicle maker BYD for HK$560.05 million ($71.35 million), according to a filing.
** Shares in Gucci-owner Kering rose in early trading following a report the French luxury goods company is in advanced talks to buy U.S.-based fashion label Tom Ford.
** U.S. investment firm KKR & Co Inc, Singapore's Temasek Holdings, and India's Max Healthcare Institute are vying to buy TPG-backed chain of Care Hospitals in a deal worth over $1 billion, Mint newspaper reported, quoting a person aware of the matter.
** Reliance Retail, a unit of Indian oil-to-chemicals conglomerate Reliance Industries, is set to enter the salon business and is in talks to buy a 49% stake in Naturals Salon & Spa, the chief executive of the salon chain said in a social media post.
** A state court in Washington has temporarily blocked Albertsons Companies Inc from paying a $4 billion dividend to shareholders before the grocery chain closes its proposed deal with rival Kroger Co, documents filed said on Thursday. (Compiled by Khushi Mandowara, Rajarshi Roy and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru)