News: AZS Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

Aug 15 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on Tuesday:

** Australia's Azure Minerals (AZS) said it rejected a buyout bid from Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM) SQMA.SN valuing the lithium developer at A$901.4 million ($584.74 million), sending its shares more than 12% higher

** Private equity firm Kimmeridge Energy Management agreed to take an undisclosed but minority stake in Commonwealth LNG, which is proposing to build a gas export plant in Louisiana

** Esmark, a privately held company, said it had made an offer to buy U.S. Steel Corp X.N for $35 per share, or an equity value of $7.8 billion

** Adani Enterprises ADEL.NS , Indian billionaire Gautam Adani's flagship firm, said it would buy the remaining 51% stake in Quintillion Business Media, which operates business and financial news digital media platform BQ Prime

** India's market regulator barred Punit Goenka from the boards of four Zee Group companies, including Zee Entertainment Ltd, and questioned his proposed role in the planned merger between ZEEL and the Indian unit of Japan's Sony Group

** Exor NV EXOR.AS , the investment arm of Italy's Agnelli family, has become the top investor in Philips PHG.AS by buying 15% of the healthcare technology group for about 2.6 billion euros ($2.8 billion), the companies said

** The United Steelworkers (USW) international president said on Monday that the union supports North American steel producer Cleveland-Cliffs' bid to acquire rival, United States Steel Corp X.N , adding that the company is the best strategic buyer

** South Africa's MTN MTNJ.J has agreed to sell a minority stake in its mobile money arm to payments giant Mastercard MA.N, it said, in a bid to expand its African fintech business

** Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) has verbally signalled to Covestro 1COV.DE that it could raise its informal offer to 60 euros per share if the German plastics and chemicals maker agrees to enter formal talks, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters