SLF Sun Life Financial Inc

British insurer Aviva PLC (AV) and Malaysian bank CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (1023.KU) have set an Oct. 29 deadline for shortlisted suitors to place binding bids to buy their Malaysian insurance joint venture, in a deal worth at least $500 million, unnamed sources were quoted as saying in a Reuters news agency report published Tuesday on its website.

Potential bidders include Prudential Plc, Manulife Financial Corp. and Sun Life Financial Inc., after AIA Group Ltd. dropped out of the race, the sources said in the report.

Aviva, Prudential and CIMB officials declined to comment, while Manulife, Sun Life and AIA weren't immediately available for comment, the report said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/25/aviva-cimb-insurance-idUSL4E8KP2KL20120925

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