GM Has Shot at 2010 Profit Says New CFO

General Motors Co.‘s new financial chief says the company has a reasonable chance of making a profit this year but it’s still a work in progress.

Former Microsoft CFO Chris Liddell says the automaker is making money in China and Brazil, doing OK in North America and will struggle in Europe.

He also says it’s possible GM will sell shares to the public in the second half of 2010. But he won’t set a timetable because GM must be making money, auto sales and the economy must recover, and the financial markets must be stronger than they are now.

GM exited bankruptcy protection last year and has received $52 billion in government aid. Liddell says he would like to repay the $6.7 billion loan portion of the aid before June.

DETROIT (AP)