Various private equity firms from the UK, US and Hong Kong are reportedly among those who placed initial bids to takeover Indian business process outsourcing company SourceHOV. Initial bids have valued the BPO firm at USD1 billion.

Germany based energy firm SolarWorld has bought Bosch Solar Energy in an effort to increase its influence and market share in the solar energy industry.

Software solutions maker Datel, the leading Sage Business Partner in the UK, announced its acquisition of the Sage 200 customer base from Pythagoras Communications Ltd.

Social media giant is in talks for its first acquisition of a product firm in India, Bangalore-based performance analysis and monitoring tools startup Little Eye Labs.

Brampton Brick Limited today announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Atlas Block, including its state-of-the-art facility located in Hillsdale, Ontario.

Imvescor Restaurant announced today that a wholly owned subsidiary of Imvescor has acquired the manufacturing facility, customer relationships, the trademark ''Commensal'' as well as all associated retail products marketed under the Commensal brand.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Friday including Statoil, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, ThyssenKrupp, Mercator, Avivasa Emeklilik, Hayat Sigorta, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Telus Corp, Atrium Innovations and John Hardy

When Aimee Brittain's team hits the stores in a commando-like fashion on Thanksgiving night in search of Black Friday deals, they'll stand out from the crowd in their matching "very bright blue" shirts. They'll scatter when they hit the store, and the shirts will help them see each other quickly.

UK-based advertising firm M&C Saatchi divested a controlling stake of 75.1% in Walker Media for GBP36 million. M&C Saatchi sold its holding to French multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis.

US-based aviation investment firm Cloud Investment Partners is mulling over a possible takeover of Lufthansa Technik's aircraft maintenance facility in Ireland. Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland is a target of a possible shutdown.

The Portuguese government would be selling 70% of postal firm CTT-Correios de Portugal next week in its first initial public offering (IPO) since a financial crisis had hit the nation.

Italy-based Barilla family, the founders of the biggest company pasta in the world, have shelled out USD25 million to acquire a South Island dairy farm.

Gaelectric has received a funding of over EUR90 million from Irish and German sources for its third operating wind farm project in Dunbeg. Earlier this year, the wind farm company nabbed EUR65 million in debt financing.

Chile-based drug firm CFR Pharmaceuticals promised a 25.1% stake for its black shareholders should the acquisition of local pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram be approved, in line with South Africa's black economic empowerment (BEE) codes.

France's two largest petroleum and electric utility firms are vying to develop two 500-megawatt wind projects near Le Treport in France. The French government opened the bidding earlier this year to attract investments of about EUR3.5 billion.

Dublin-based aircraft management firm Amentum Capital Ltd has sold a 25% stake in its business to Tokyo-based investor Financial Products Group (FPG)for an undisclosed amount.

Information, communication and technology (ICT) solutions provider Tech Mahindra is holding a board meeting on Friday to consider a merger with engineering firm Mahindra Engineering Services.

Protea Group has invested NGN11.13 billion (over USD70 million) for the development of more hotel brands in Nigeria, according to the group's chief executive officer.

Just months after pulling out of a planned multi-billion dollar sale of his grocery chain, Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing has started the process for Waston's initial public offering. The global retail business is set to float next year.

Italy's richest man Giovanni Ferrero said that chocolate company Ferrero SpA has no plans to go public or sell out to a bigger rival. Ferrero unveiled his company's vision to expand in Asia and the US in the next decade.

Masdar Clean Energy announced its participation in the USD290-million Jordan Wind Project Company (JWPC), the company's first renewable energy investment outside the United Arab Emirates.

Fullerton, an investment fund run by Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings, has acquired 5 million shares in Bollywood film distributor Eros International at USD11 apiece.

Brazilian oil company OGX is reportedly in talks with bondholders about a USD150 million capital infusion in the struggling firm. OGX previously reported a loss of BRL2.1 billion and filed for bankruptcy with USD4 billion in debt.

US firm Aurelius Capital Management sold its stake in Britain's Co-operative Bank to London hedge fund Perry Capital days after the private life of the bank's former chairman, Reverend Paul Flowers, was exposed.

Veolia Environnement announced that the purchase of the 50% stake of Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) in Proactiva Medio Ambiente has been closed in a deal valued at EUR150 million.

London-listed Hochschild Mining Plc plans a USD350 million bond issue to finance its expansion projects in Peru and Chile. It intends to invest USD372 million in a silver mine project in Peru and USD1 billion in a gold project in Chile.

Africa-focused private equity (PE) fundraisers have secured more than USD2 billion from January to September, according to Private Equity Africa, a publication for fund managers and investors.

Canada-based base metals mining firm Trevali Mining Corp announced the closing of a USD46-million financing through the offering of 55.4 million of its shares priced at USD0.83 apiece.

Mumbai-based realty major Lodha Group has bought a 0.67-acre property near the Buckingham Palace in London for over INR3,120 crore. The property will be converted into super-luxury residential flats.

The central bank of the Philippines approved the merger between China Bank Savings In and rural bank Unity Bank Inc, expanding China Bank's network to 90 branches.