Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

Jan 18 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2100 GMT on Friday:

** Schlumberger NV said it would withdraw its application for the acquisition of a stake in Russia's Eurasia Drilling Company (EDC) if it is not successful in getting approvals soon.

** Siemens and Alstom's plan to create a European rail champion to take on a Chinese rival has failed to win over EU antitrust regulators despite German and French backing, people familiar with the matter said.

** The chief executive officer of Canadian oil producer MEG Energy Corp invited his counterpart at Husky Energy Inc earlier this month to negotiate a friendly takeover of MEG but Husky did not follow up, MEG's vice president of investor relations, John Rogers, said.

** Italy is considering merging troubled banks Monte dei Paschi and Banca Carige with healthier rivals such as UBI Banca as it scrambles to avert a new banking crisis, sources familiar with the matter said. [

** RPC Group, Europe's biggest plastics packaging maker, said the deadline for its private equity suitor Apollo Global Management to make a firm offer for the company has been extended to Jan. 23.

** French asset manager Amundi said it bought the 51 percent stake it didn't own in fintech Anatec.

** French bank Societe Generale and South Africa's Absa joined forces in Africa, partnering on corporate and investment banking to broaden their reach across the continent.

** Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky is preparing a potential bid for Metro, people close the matter said, sending shares in the German retailer as much as 6 percent higher.

** China Molybdenum Co Ltd said it had agreed to buy a holding company for $1.14 billion in order to increase its control in Democratic Republic of Congo's massive Tenke copper mine.

** A British court ruling has indicated that a final regulatory verdict on supermarket operator Sainsbury's proposed 7.3 billion pound ($9.5 billion) takeover of Walmart unit Asda will be delayed until the end of April from early March.

** The European Commission said it had approved the acquisition by German chemical company BASF of the nylon business of Belgian rival Solvay subject to conditions.

** German gambling company Zeal Network's shareholders paved the way for the takeover of rival Lotto24 by voting in favour of a capital increase as well as other preconditions.

** Broadcaster Central European Media Enterprises (CME) , will keep its Slovenian television networks, after a long-running regulatory process held up plans to pay down debt.

** Chinese gaming titan Tencent Holdings Ltd is considering a bid for the holding company that controls South Korean gaming company Nexon, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

** U.S.-based private equity firm Carlyle Group and Japan's biggest investment bank Nomura Holdings Inc are planning a joint takeover bid for beer maker Orion Breweries, the Nikkei reported.

** French telecoms group Orange is considering a bid for Spanish competitor Euskaltel, a move which would consolidate its market position as number two in Spain, according to a source familiar with the matter.

** South African construction company Aveng Ltd said it had sold its water treatment engineering business to an investment company, partially held by the unit's managing director, for 95 million rand ($6.9 million).

** French bank Societe Generale said it agreed to sell its South African unit offering custody, trustee and clearing services to South Africa-listed bank ABSA as part of a strategy to review its scope of businesses. (Compiled by Shradha Singh in Bengaluru)