Asia Pacific Stock Exchange (APX), a new bourse that aims to lure Chinese firms, has received final approval from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to start operating.

A report by Grant Thornton, an American accounting and advisory firm, said that Indian corporations closed as many as 393 private equity deals totaling $9.67 billion in the past 11 months of the year.

UK-based virtual fitting room firm Metail has received £2.6 million in additional funding as it prepares to move into a new headquarters in East London.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd plans to sell down its 8.6% stake in Kiwi Income Property Trust, which is worth NZ$95.7 million based on its last trading price.

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (IAG) bought the Australian and New Zealand underwriting business of Western Australia's farmers' cooperative Wesfarmers Ltd for $1.845 billion.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Friday including ITC Holdings, Dave & Buster, Time Warner Cable, Banca Etruria, Cube Capital, Cargolux, Simon Property and Versace.

Chinese lender China Everbright Bank Co. raised $3 billion in its Hong Kong listing after exercising an option to sell an additional 762 million shares on top of its IPO base size of 5.08 billion shares.

New York-based money manager BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Telecom Italia to 10%, becoming its second-largest shareholder. This could potentially tip the balance at a shareholder meeting set to vote on the proposed ouster of Telecom Italia's board, according to a Reuters report.

RAG Foundation chief Werner Mueller said the state-owned trust looks to reduce its stake in German chemicals and plastics manufacturer Evonik Industries to about 25%. RAG currently owns two thirds of Evonik.

Indian airport developer GMR Infrastructure has put up for sale its stake in Istanbul airport Sabiha Gokcen International Airport. Malaysia Airports Holdings, which already owns a 20% stake in the Turkish airport, is looking to buy GMR's 40% holding.

The Reserve Bank of India recently announced that multinational companies can hike their stakes in Indian arms without its approval. Many MNCs are now looking to increase their stakes, go for a merger or de-list their local units.

French alcoholic beverages company Remy Cointreau looks to form a partnership with India's largest winemaker Nashik Vintners Pvt. Ltd. Remy and Nashik Vintners are expected to launch an India-specific brand through the joint venture.

Facebook chief financial officer David Ebersman early this week sold 532,400 shares in the social networking company at an average price of $50 per share. Ebersman reportedly raised $26.2 million in the deal.

Google Inc. on Friday announced that it had completed the purchase of engineering and robotics company Boston Dynamics. Boston Dynamics is the eight robotics firm that the Internet giant has acquired in the last half-year.

Honeywell International Inc.'s board of directors has approved the buyback of as much as $5 billion in stock. The American conglomerate has 784.7 million shares outstanding and a market value of $67.7 billion.

Intel Corp., the world's largest chipmaker, has put up for sale its Internet-based pay-TV startup OnCue. Telecom company Verizon Communications Inc. is said to be nearing a deal to acquire OnCue.

Energy firm American Energy Capital Partners will go public to raise $2 billion in funds that will enable it to acquire and drill oil and gas assets in the United States. AECP is managed by a firm created by ex-Chesapeake Energy Corp. chief executive officer Aubrey McClendon.

Bidders William Morris Endeavor, ICM Partners and a consortium led by former News Corporation executive Peter Chernin are expected to submit their takeover offers for IMG Worldwide on Friday. New York Times said that William Morris will likely emerge as top bidder for the sports agency.

Dallas-based restaurant and arcade operator Dave & Buster's is looking to exit from the company through a sale or an initial public offering. Dave & Buster's is controlled by private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners.

United Spirits could raise as much as £675 million ($1.1 billion) in the sale of Whyte & Mackay Scotch if it will include single malt Dalmore. Sources estimate that Whyte & Mackay's exit, excluding Dalmore, is worth £450 million.

Pharmaceutical company Ikaria Inc. is seeking an exit reportedly worth $2 billion. Private equity firms American Securities LLC, GTCR LLC and Madison Dearborn Partners LLC have tendered their bids to acquire the American specialty drug manufacturer.

Italy's state backed Fondo Strategico Italiano (FSI) and private equity firm CCMP Capital are leading the race to secure a minority stake in Italian luxury goods group Versace.

San Francisco-based advertising technology company Delivery Agent Inc has picked Credit Suisse Group AG and Deutsche Bank AG to lead its planned initial public offering (IPO) in 2014.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will turn over one of its idled space-shuttle launch pad to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), according to officials on Friday.

US-based telecommunications company Sprint is eyeing the purchase of rival T-Mobile USA next year in a deal worth $20 billion, according to sources cited in a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Intellectual Ventures has settled a lawsuit it brought against chipmaker Altera Corp, according to court filings in litigation against a group of semiconductor companies filed by the firm, which has purchased billions of dollars worth of patents.

Louisiana-based big utility Entergy Corp ended its plans to transfer its high-voltage power lines to independent electricity transmission firm ITC Holdings Corp after Mississippi regulators rejected the deal.

Ford chairman Bill Ford, Jr. invested in San Francisco-based startup QuickPay through his venture firm Fontinalis Partners to help improve on-street and off-street parking experience.

US-based company Charter Communications is reportedly preparing to make an official offer to acquire Time Warner Cable for less than $140 per share, according to a news report.

Chinese lender China Everbright Co raised $2.6 billion in its third attempt at a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) of 5.08 billion shares priced at HK$3.98 apiece.