Mergers and acquisitions

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday:

** French supermarket group Auchan will sell 19 stores in its home market to Germany's Lidl as it seeks to improve its financial position and avoid further job cuts, the two businesses said.

** British thread manufacturer Coats Group COA said it would buy U.S.-based footwear insole maker OrthoLite for $770 million, including debt.

** Private equity firm Warburg Pincus will acquire a majority stake in Keystone Agency Partners, the insurance broker announced.

** French industrial tech firm Schneider Electric <SCHN.PA> is in talks to buy the remaining 35% stake in its India unit from minority partner Temasek Holdings, Bloomberg News reported.

** Israeli mobile phone operator Pelephone has offered up to 2 billion shekels ($594 million) in cash to buy all of rival HOT Mobile from Patrick Drahi's Altice International, Pelephone's parent company Bezeq Israel Telecom <BEZQ.TA> said.