Dec 18 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,

acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1030 GMT on

Wednesday:

** Patriot Battery Metals ( PMETF ) said automotive giant

Volkswagen has invested approximately C$69 million

($48.18 million) for a 9.9% stake in the Canadian lithium

developer.

** European home improvement retailer Kingfisher

will exit the Romanian market after agreeing the sale of its

loss-making Brico Depot Romania business to Altex Romania for an

enterprise value of 70 million euros ($74 million).

** Australia's Insignia Financial ( IOOFF ) has rejected Bain

Capital's A$2.67 billion ($1.69 billion) takeover bid, saying

the offer does not provide fair value to its shareholders,

creating a barrier for the buyout giant's Asia expansion plans.

** Private equity firm Bain Capital is in talks to acquire

Sizzling Platter, which operates restaurant franchises such as

Little Caesars and Jersey Mike's, for more than $1 billion,

including debt, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

** Denmark's Orsted said it would divest a 50%

equity stake in three U.S. onshore projects to Energy Capital

Partners for $572 million.

** Honda 7267.T and Nissan ( NSANF ) are in talks to deepen

ties, two people said, including a possible merger, the clearest

sign yet of how Japan's once seemingly unbeatable auto industry

is being reshaped by challenges from Tesla and Chinese rivals.

** Italian engineering group Maire and Newcleo

have signed an agreement to set up a joint venture aimed at

building power plants based on the nuclear firm's technology for

advanced modular reactors, the two companies said.

(Compiled by Rajarshi Roy and Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru)