UPDATE 3-Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

(Adds Banco Popolare, updates Validus Holdings)

July 2 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday.

(For Reuters columns on deals, click on [DEALTALK/])

** Exelon Corp (EXC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) raised its hostile takeover bid for independent power producer NRG Energy Inc (NRG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) by more than 12 percent to $7.45 billion to sway investors ahead of NRG's annual meeting.

To read more, double click on [ID:nN02545292]

** Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is to take over most of Elan Corp's (ELN.I: Quote, Profile, Research) Alzheimer's research and invest $1 billion in new Elan equity in exchange for an 18.4 percent stake in the Irish drugmaker, the companies said. [ID:nL2891369]

** Securities firm International Assets Holding Corp (IAAC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to buy commodity risk management firm FCStone Group Inc (FCSX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) in an all-stock deal valued at about $130 million, as it looks to expand presence in the commodities market. [ID:nBNG513528]

** GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) expanded its emerging markets footprint by buying Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) branded generics drugs business in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Libya and Yemen for $23.2 million. [ID:nL2729622]

** Reinsurer Validus Holdings Ltd (VR.N: Quote, Profile, Research) reiterated its unsolicited offer for rival IPC Holdings Ltd (IPCR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) despite a competing bid from Flagstone Reinsurance Ltd (FSR.N: Quote, Profile, Research). [ID:nN02159295]