The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S., Canadian and Asian companies were reported by 1000 GMT on Friday:

 ** European private equity firm Permira said on Friday it has agreed to buy Japan's largest sushi restaurant chain, Akindo Sushiro Co Ltd, for around $1 billion including debt.

** Private equity firms American Securities LLC, Apollo Global Management LLC, and Linamar Corp, have submitted bids for U.S. auto parts supplier Metaldyne on Thursday, in a deal valued between $800 million and $900 million, according to several people familiar with the matter.

** Private equity firms including Bain Capital LLC and American Securities LLC are preparing bids for Apex Tool Group, a joint venture between Danaher Corp and Cooper Industries Plc, according to three people familiar with the matter.

** Activist investor Corvex Management is urging Ralcorp Holdings Inc to either sell itself, buy another company, or change its strategy nearly a year after the food company rejected a takeover offer from ConAgra Foods Inc.

** Russia's UC RUSAL, the world's largest aluminium producer, said Guinean unions' demands for its Friguia plant deal to be annulled have no legal merit and promised to protect its ownership rights.

** Hedge Fund manager William Ackman on Thursday said mall operator General Growth Properties should put itself up for sale and noted that at least one potential bidder would value it at 51 percent above its current share price.

** Irish airline Aer Lingus renewed a call to its shareholders to reject Ryanair's latest takeover bid, saying its budget rival had failed to provide any new information on its offer.

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