GENEVA (MF-Dow Jones)--Fiat SpA (FIATY) Chief Executive Sergio
Marchionne said market conditions for automakers are very
difficult, and added that Fiat would be at a disadvantage if the
German government were to acquire a stake in General Motors Corp.'s
(GM) Opel unit.
Italian car sales fell 24.45% in February 2009 from the same
month a year ago, the Italian Transport Ministry said Monday.
The worsening auto market is sending car makers in the United
States, Germany and France scrambling for state aid. In Italy, the
government approved a plan to support car demand, but hasn't
offered any direct payments to auto makers.
General Motors Monday proposed selling a stake in Opel in a bid
to win EUR3.3 billion in aid from Germany.
-By Danilo Caselli, MF-Dow Jones, and Jennifer Clark, Dow Jones
Newswires; 39 02 58 21 9904; jennifer.clark@dowjones.com