From AFX News Limited

NEW YORK -- Lehman Bros. analyst Darren Kimball said the sales lift General Motors is witnessing from its employee discount promotion could bring the automaker's inventory to below-normal levels at the end of the month, "which could provide further positive short-term momentum for the stock."

GM's stock, a component of the Dow industrials, was last trading up 25 cents, or 0.7 percent, at $36.07. Kimball does not believe the strength in GM sales is coming at the expense of its competitors, and is instead helping the overall industry. He still thinks large production cuts are warranted, however, and remains concerned that the promotion may be merely pulling sales ahead, "with payback lurking in subsequent months."

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