The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 1330 GMT on Thursday.

** Independent oil exploration and production company Magnum Hunter Resources Corp (MHR.A) said it agreed to buy assets of privately held Triad Energy Corp out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy for $81 million.

** Geely Automobile (0175.HK), whose shares have soared as its parent's bid for Ford's (F.N) Volvo, could win a valuable brand if the bid succeeds, but could take years to see profits from the loss-making Swedish carmaker.

** South Korean shipbuilder STX Offshore & Shipbuilding (067250.KS) said it was in talks with the Korea Development Bank (KDB) to sell a stake in STX Heavy Industries Co.

** Privately owned coal miner Czech Coal is close to a deal with power company CEZ (CEZPsp.PR) to swap its CSA brown coal pit for one of the utility's power stations, sources familiar with the talks said.

** British pay-TV group BSkyB (BSY.L) launched its appeal on Thursday against a competition ruling forcing it to reduce its 17.9 percent stake in free-to-air broadcaster ITV (ITV.L).

** Standard Bank Group Ltd (SBKJ.J), Africa's biggest bank by assets, has no plans to buy a brokerage in Brazil, the Standard's top executive in Brazil told Reuters.

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