GKN PLC Share News (GKN)

(Updates Lanxess; Adds J&J, GKN, Japan Tobacco, Lundbeck)

March 16 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1400 GMT on Friday:

** Britain's NEX Group Plc said it had received apreliminary takeover approach from U.S.-based exchange operatorCME Group, in a move to create a cross-border tradingpowerhouse.

** French cosmetics group L'Oreal said it wasbuying Canadian beauty technology company ModiFace, as it looksto roll out more digital services such as virtual make-up tests.

** Germany's Lanxess has dropped out of aconsortium bidding for Akzo Nobel's specialitychemicals business, two people close to the matter said.

** Anglo-South African financial services group Old Mutualis selling three businesses in Latin America to ChinaMinsheng Investment Group International (CMIG) for around $300million, a source familiar with the matter said.

** Wynn Resorts Ltd's former chief executive, SteveWynn, may elect to sell all or a portion of his stake in thecompany, according to a regulatory filing dated Thursday.

** Netherlands-Based Paper Excellence BV raised its bid totake over Brazilian pulpmaker Fibria Celulose SA inan attempt to win the deal from rival Suzano Papel e CeluloseSA, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

** Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd said itsacquisition of Religare Enterprises Ltd's securitiesbusiness fell through after Religare failed to get the necessaryregulatory approvals.

** Former Qualcomm Inc Chairman Paul Jacobs hasinformed its board of directors that he will seek to partnerwith investment firms to make an offer for the U.S.semiconductor company, people familiar with the matter said onThursday.

** Royal Dutch Shell Plc is selling its upstreamassets in New Zealand to Austria's OMV AG for $578million, the companies said on Thursday.

** Johnson & Johnson has been offered about $2.1billion for its LifeScan Inc unit, which makes blood glucosemonitoring products, by private investment firm Platinum Equity,the healthcare company said.

** A top 30 shareholder in British engineering company GKNplans to reject a hostile takeover bid from industrialturnaround specialist Melrose, the latest voice to backGKN as the bid battle intensifies.

** Japan Tobacco has agreed to buy Russia's DonskoyTabak for about 90 billion roubles ($1.56 billion) to strengthenits leading position in the world's third-largest tobaccomarket.

** Lundbeck agreed to buy Prexton Therapeutics, aspecialist in treatments for brain disorders, in a dealpotentially worth $1.1 billion, the Danish drugmaker said.(Compiled by Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru)