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(Adds Goldman Sachs, Credit Agricole , Noble Energy , Orange Polska; updates Playboy, Mubadala Investment)
Oct 1 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday:
** Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) GS.N is buying General Motors Co (NYSE:GM)'s GM.N credit card business for about $2.5 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Credit Agricole CAGR.PA is exploring a possible deal to buy Italy's third biggest bank, Banco BPM BAMI.MI , as it seeks to access the lender's client network in the wealthy northern region of Lombardy, sources with knowledge of the matter said. Noble Energy Inc NBL.O shareholders on Friday are expected to approve its sale to Chevron (NYSE:CVX) for about $4.2 billion in stock, cementing the first big energy deal since the coronavirus crushed global fuel demand. Orange Polska and Cyfrowy Polsat are launching auctions for Polish telecommunications infrastructure assets as they seek to free up cash for investment elsewhere, people close to the matter said. Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala Investment Co has agreed to invest 62.48 billion rupees ($853 million) in the retail division of India's Reliance Industries RELI.NS , the Indian conglomerate said in a statement. Debt-laden U.S. oil producer Occidental Petroleum Corp (NYSE:OXY) OXY.N said it has agreed to sell its onshore assets in Colombia to private equity firm Carlyle Group Inc CG.O for $825 million. Business software group SAP SAPG.DE said it would acquire Emarsys, a cloud-based marketing platform, in a deal that will round out companies' ability to tailor communication with customers across all online channels. Online prescription drug company Hims Inc said it had agreed to go public by merging with Oaktree Acquisition Corp OAC.N in a deal that values the start-up at $1.6 billion. Playboy Enterprises Inc said it has agreed to go public by merging with blank-check acquisition company Mountain Crest Acquisition Corp MCAC.O in a deal that values the owner of Playboy magazine at $413 million, including debt. Danish lender Sydbank SYDB.CO has agreed to buy rival Alm. Brand Bank ALMB.CO for 1.83 billion Danish crowns ($289 million), equal to 95% of book equity, both banks said. France's Suez SEVI.PA , which opposes a takeover bid from rival Veolia VIE.PA , said it backs a plan by private equity group Ardian to bid for the water and waste management firm. Finnish engineering firm Konecranes KCRA.HE and cargo handling machinery maker Cargotec CGCBV.HE plan to merge to help speed up innovation and reap savings, the companies said. Marbles, a company owned by one of the funds of Spain's Asterion Industrial Partners, has signed agreements to buy a stake of 24.1% in Italian fibre-optic network group Retelit LIT.MI for 92.6 million euros, a statement said.