News: BLD Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

(Adds L Brands, Paper Excellence, Better, Ginkgo and Orange)

May 11 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1330 GMT on Tuesday:

** L Brands Inc LB.N said it plans to spin off its Victoria's Secret business into a standalone company, capping a year of weighing strategic options for the brand including a sale.

** Canadian paper and packaging company Paper Excellence will buy U.S rival Domtar Corp UFS.N in an all-cash deal valued at about $3 billion, the companies said.

** SoftBank Group Corp-backed 9984.T Better HoldCo said it will go public through a merger with a blank-check firm sponsored by investment firm Novator Capital, valuing the mortgage startup at $7.7 billion.

** Ginkgo Bioworks said it plans to go public through a merger with a blank-check vehicle backed by former Hollywood executives Harry Sloan and Jeff Sagansky, in one of the biggest such deals that values the biotech company at $17.5 billion.

** France's Orange ORAN.PA is reviewing a possible acquisition of its former unit TDF, a telecoms infrastructure operator, L'Express magazine reported.

** The British government has completed the sale of 1.1 billion pounds ($1.55 billion) in shares of NatWest NWG.L , lowering its stake to below 55% in the lender it bailed out over a decade ago.

** Japan's SoftBank Corp 9434.T will invest $60 million for a 23% stake in the digital analytics and artificial intelligence arm of Malaysian telecoms firm Axiata Group Bhd AXIA.KL , said two sources familiar with the matter.

** South Korea's Kakao Entertainment Corp said it was acquiring U.S.-based online comic app Tapas and serialized fiction app Radish for $510 million and $440 million, respectively.

** Australia's Boral Ltd (BLD) urged its shareholders to reject a takeover offer from diversified investor Seven Group Holdings (SVW) , saying that the offer of buying Boral shares at no premium was "opportunistic" and undervalued the company.

** Australian grocer Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW) has offered draft commitments to ensure its deal to buy two-thirds of PFD Food Services will not hurt competition in the food sector, the country's competition regulator said.

** Activist investor Caligan Partners built an 11% stake in Fluidigm Corp FLDM.O , which makes a COVID-19 test, and may urge the company to conduct a strategic review and explore a sale of one of its business units, two sources said on Monday.