News: AQZ Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

April 20 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 11:00 GMT on Thursday:

** Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said that Australian hearing device maker Cochlear's purchase of Demant's hearing implants business could hurt competition and mean higher prices for the National Health Service.

** Sumitomo Metal Mining 5713.T said it supports Teck Resources' TECKb.TO plan to create two separate companies, as the Vancouver-based miner fends off an unsolicited takeover bid from mining giant Glencore GLEN.L .

** Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil LKOH.MM has bought into insurance company GARDIA, a former subsidiary of AIG AIG.N , one of the world's biggest commercial insurers, GARDIA said earlier this week.

** Russia's government has approved the sale of Volkswagen's VOWG_p.DE factory in the city of Kaluga, the Vedomosti daily reported, citing two unnamed sources, a step towards the German carmaker finalising its exit from Russia.

** Evonik's new Chief Financial Officer Maike Schuh sees a wide range of potential investors for the German firm's superabsorbents division, she said on Wednesday evening.

** Australian share registry firm Link Administration (LNK) said it will sell its UK-based Link Fund Solutions (LFS) for up to $174.1 million to Dublin-based Waystone Group.

** Agricultural and construction machine maker CNH Industrial CNHI.MI on Wednesday ceased its operations in Russia and said it sold its business in the region for about $60 million.

** Australia's Essential Metals Ltd (ESS) said that its shareholders had rejected a A$136 million ($91.16 million) takeover offer from a joint venture led by China's Tianqi Lithium 002466.SZ and Australian miner IGO Ltd (IGO) .

** Virgin Media O2 has kicked off the sale of all or part of its share in Cornerstone, which owns and manages Britain's largest mobile tower network and is likely to be valued at up to 3 billion pounds ($3.73 billion), the Financial Times reported.

** Australia's competition regulator blocked Qantas Airways Ltd's (QAN) A$611 million ($409 million) buyout of charter flight operator Alliance Aviation Services Ltd (AQZ) , curtailing the airline's ability to tap demand from the resources sector.