By Christoph Steitz and Tom Käckenhoff
FRANKFURT, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Thyssenkrupp unveiled 401 million euros ($477 million) in expenses to fund far-reaching job cuts at its steel division, as the German industrial conglomerate continues talks with India's Jindal Steel International over a sale of the business.
As a result of the charges, Thyssenkrupp reported on Thursday a wider first-quarter net loss of 353 million euros. Analysts polled by LSEG had, on average, expected a net profit of 32 million euros for
the period.
Thyssenkrupp said that a recently reached agreement to pull out of the steel joint venture HKM earlier than planned could add another disposal loss "in the low to mid three-digit million range".
The ongoing restructuring at Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe (TKSE) is aimed at accelerating negotiations with Jindal Steel International on a potential sale of TKSE, a volatile business that its parent has sought to divest for years.
A solution for the steel business, closely tied to Germany's industrial history, is seen as the centrepiece of Thyssenkrupp CEO Miguel Lopez's strategy to turn the sprawling group into a holding.
Such efforts have already seen the company divest and separately list its electrolyser and warship divisions, lifting Thyssenkrupp's stock price despite a tough macroeconomic environment for the car-parts-to-materials firm.
($1 = 0.8411 euros)
(Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Tom Kaeckenhoff. Editing by Jane Merriman and Ludwig Burger)
