(Detroit, MI)  --  General Motors has posted its first sales increase in 21 months.

   October sales for the automaker climbed four-percent over the same month last year, and were 13-percent higher than sales in September of this year.

   The company's four core brands, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac accounted for about 95-percent of GM's retail sales, an increase of ten percentage points compared to the prior year.

   GM's vice president of U.S. sales Susan Docherty said the automaker still has more work to do, but added GM is, quote, "very pleased with consumer acceptance to our newest cars, crossovers and trucks."

   GM Tuesday, GM's board made the decision to keep Opel.

   A Russian-backed group led by a Canadian company had been negotiating for months with GM to purchase Opel.

   The European Union asked the automaker if it would have agreed to unload the brand if it knew ahead of time government aid from Germany would have been provided to any buyer.

   Germany promised to give the new owners of Opel $4.5-billion euros in aid.
 


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