Thyssenkrupp shares gain over steel business talks

BERLIN (Reuters) – Shares in German engineering and defence group Thyssenkrupp soared on Monday morning after a source said the company is in talks with international peers about consolidating its loss-making steel business.

The talks, to be unveiled as part of a strategy revamp on Monday that is likely to include shutting or selling assets, follow a 372 million euro($403 million) loss Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe posted in the first half of the group’s fiscal year.

Thyssenkrupp shares were up 6.3% at 0711 GMT, making it the biggest percentage gainer in the German mid-cap index MDAX <.mdax>.

Its shares have lost more than 60% this year, while the MDAX shed just about 17% of its value.

($1 = 0.9240 euros)

(Reporting by Thomas Seythal, editing by Louise Heavens)