News: RIO Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

(Adds: LyondellBasell, Synopsys, Restaurant Brands, Barclays)

Jan 16 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1430 GMT on Tuesday:

		** Chip design software maker Synopsys  SNPS.O  said it 
would buy Ansys  ANSS.O  in a $35 billion cash-and-stock deal, 

snapping up the maker of software used in creating products from airplanes to tennis rackets of players like Novak Djokovic.

		( 
	Full Story) 

		** Chemical company LyondellBasell  LYB.N  said it will 
buy a 35% stake in Saudi Arabia-based National Petrochemical 

Industrial Co (NATPET) from Alujain 2170.SE for about $500 million.

		( 
	Full Story) 

		** Restaurant Brands  QSR.TO  will take full control of 
Carrols Restaurant Group  TAST.O  in a deal that values the 

largest Burger King franchise in the U.S. at about $1 billion, the company said .

		( 
	Full Story) 

		** Former Barclays  BARC.L  veterans Bob Diamond and 
Rich Ricci have agreed to an all-share merger of Panmure Gordon 

and UK rival Liberum, the firms said, creating Britain's largest independent investment bank amid an extended dealmaking slump.

		( 
	Full Story) 

** U.S. private equity firm General Atlantic said it has agreed a deal to buy UK-based infrastructure investor Actis, in the latest sign of investors betting on growth in alternative assets. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

** Rio Tinto (RIO) said its Dampier Salt joint venture will sell the Lake MacLeod salt and gypsum operations in Western Australia to Leichhardt Industrials Group, which is backed by former Dow Chemical boss Andrew Liveris, for $251 million.

** Thomson Reuters TRI.TO raised its offer to buy Sweden's Pagero PAGERO.ST by 25% to about $789 million on Monday and said it now controls about 54% of the company, seeking to ward off rival bids for the e-invoicing and tax solutions firm.

** Oil and gas company Talos Energy TALO.N said on Monday it will acquire privately held QuarterNorth Energy in a $1.29 billion cash and stock deal to bolster its presence in Mexico.

** Grocers Kroger KR.N and Albertsons ACI.N said on Monday that they plan close the proposed $24.6 billion merger in the first half of Kroger's fiscal 2024 instead of early 2024.

** Chinese tourism group Fosun is in advanced talks to sell its Thomas Cook brand to Polish online travel agent eSky, Sky News reported on Monday, citing sources.

** Russia's Globaltrans, one of the largest railway operators in Russia, said on Monday that Kazakh investment company Aqniet Capital was buying a 31.62% stake in the company.

** Private equity fund CVC is set to acquire full control of Italian street food retailer La Piadineria from buyout firm Permira, both groups said on Monday.