Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

April 4 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on Thursday:

** Japan's Mitsui & Co said it had teamed up with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co to buy Eu Yan Sang International in a deal valuing the Singapore-based traditional Chinese medicines firm at S$800 million ($594 million).

** Britain's antitrust watchdog said that Spreadex's completed acquisition of sports betting rival Sporting Index's consumer-facing arm raised competition concerns and gave them time for a solution before it deepened its investigation.

** Former Gucci chief executive Marco Bizzarri said he would invest in Italian fashion brand Elisabetta Franchi, taking a stake up to 23% of the company.

** Applus' board of directors has issued a favourable opinion on the takeover bids launched by funds Apollo and Amber, but prefer the latter as the offer price is higher, the Spanish company said in a filing with stock market regulator CNMV.

** Russian steelmaker Severstal has bought the distribution business of metals trader A Grupp, Severstal said without disclosing the size of the deal.

** Members of Paramount Global's board agreed on Wednesday to enter into exclusive merger talks with Skydance Media, favoring the independent studio over a $26 billion offer from private equity firm Apollo Global Management , a person familiar with the matter said.

** Britain's competition regulator said it would need to open an in-depth investigation into the merger between Vodafone's UK operation and Hutchison's Three UK after the parties did not offer remedies to ease the regulator's competition concerns.

** Australian insurer Suncorp Group said it would sell its New Zealand life insurance business to Resolution Life for NZ$410 million ($246.53 million), sending its shares to a more than 16-year high.

** Mexican broadcaster Televisa said on Wednesday it reached an agreement with AT&T for its stake in satellite TV unit Sky Mexico, giving Televisa full control of the firm.

** The ethics adviser to Norway's $1.6 trillion sovereign-wealth fund is assessing whether to recommend the investor to divest its multi-billion dollar stake in mining giant Rio Tinto for environmental concerns, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

(Compiled by Rajarshi Foy in Bengaluru)

((Rajarshi.Roy@thomsonreuters.com;))