Dec 18 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1030 GMT on Wednesday:

** Patriot Battery Metals said automotive giant Volkswagen has invested approximately C$69 million ($48.18 million) for a 9.9% stake in the Canadian lithium developer.

** European home improvement retailer Kingfisher will exit the Romanian market after agreeing the sale of its loss-making Brico Depot Romania business to Altex Romania for an enterprise value of 70 million euros ($74 million).

** Australia's Insignia Financial has rejected Bain Capital's A$2.67 billion ($1.69 billion) takeover bid, saying the offer does not provide fair value to its shareholders, creating a barrier for the buyout giant's Asia expansion plans.

** Private equity firm Bain Capital is in talks to acquire Sizzling Platter, which operates restaurant franchises such as Little Caesars and Jersey Mike's, for more than $1 billion, including debt, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

** Denmark's Orsted said it would divest a 50% equity stake in three U.S. onshore projects to Energy Capital Partners for $572 million.

** Honda 7267.T and Nissan are in talks to deepen ties, two people said, including a possible merger, the clearest sign yet of how Japan's once seemingly unbeatable auto industry is being reshaped by challenges from Tesla and Chinese rivals.

** Italian engineering group Maire and Newcleo have signed an agreement to set up a joint venture aimed at building power plants based on the nuclear firm's technology for advanced modular reactors, the two companies said.

(Compiled by Rajarshi Roy and Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru)

((Kritika.Lamba@thomsonreuters.com))