Deals of the day - Mergers and acquisitions

June 25 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday:

** Candy maker Mars' takeover of Pringles maker Kellanova K.N could lead to price hikes because it will boost Mars' negotiating power with retailers, EU antitrust regulators warned as they opened a full-scale investigation into the $36 billion deal.

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** Shell SHEL.L denied that it was in talks to buy BP BP.L after the Wall Street Journal reported that the oil major was in early discussions over a takeover of its British rival.

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** Abu Dhabi investment firm ADQ is in talks to acquire a 35% stake in the vegetable seeds business of French agricultural group Limagrain as part of an alliance that would also seek to develop seeds for harsh climates, Limagrain said.

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** Spain's BBVA BBVA.MC will decide shortly whether to move ahead with its hostile bid for Sabadell SABE.MC after reassessing cost savings in light of conditions imposed by the Spanish government, the bank's manager for Spain said.

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** Italian fashion brand Roberto Cavalli is assessing "strategic partnerships" as part of growth options, the company said on Tuesday, after Italian media reported that its owner was exploring a sale or opening up to an outside investor.

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** New Zealand accounting software giant Xero agreed to buy U.S.-Israeli payments provider Melio for as much as $3 billion, the companies said, accelerating the Kiwi firm's push into the U.S. with the country's biggest outbound deal in over a decade. nL4N3SR1OJ

** Santander said it had agreed to sell seven branches in the Allentown, Pennsylvania area to U.S.-based Community Bank as the Spanish lender pivots towards becoming a digital-first bank in the United States.

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** Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom has invested 9.86 million pounds ($13.41 million) to acquire a 29% stake in Heart of Midlothian, the Scottish Premiership club said.

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** Spain's Sabadell SABE.MC would consider selling its British unit TSB if such a deal created value, the bank's Chief Executive Cesar González-Bueno said on Wednesday.
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** UK's Warehouse REIT accepted a 485.2 million pound ($661 million) takeover offer from Tritax Big Box REIT , walking away from a previous deal with Blackstone agreed in early June.
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** French state-owned utility EDF's new chief is considering a sale of some assets as part of a review of the firm's portfolio in a bid to meet government demands to spur investments in new nuclear reactors, the Financial Times reported.
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** Monte dei Paschi di Siena BMPS.MI said the European Central Bank had approved its proposed acquisition of rival Mediobanca MDBI.MI, including under a scenario in which it gains a stake of less than 50% in the rival.
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** Brighthouse Financial BHF.O has narrowed down a field of suitors to money manager TPG and Abu Dhabi-backed financial investor Aquarian Holdings, as the U.S. life insurance and annuity provider continues to explore a potential sale, according to people familiar with the matter.
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