General Motors Lowers Production Forecast 4%

General Motors Corp. lowered its fourth-quarter production forecast for North America by 4% from the year-ago quarter, amid signs of a slowing sales pace. The world’s largest auto maker expects to make 677,000 cars, an 11% decrease from a year ago, and 3% more trucks to 713,000. Ford Motor Co., which has recently cut back production of some models, said it plans to review inventory levels of all of its car and truck lines as it heads into 2001. A spokesman for DaimlerChrysler said the company has not yet released its fourth-quarter production schedule for North America. Despite the second-half tapering off, Fahnestock & Co.’s Richard Hilgert said this year’s pace of auto production continues to look like it will hit a new record of at least 17 million light vehicles, topping last year’s record of 16.9 million.