GMAC Financial Services LLC, the financing arm of General Motors Corp., will receive $5 billion from the $700 billion bank rescue program, according to a statement from the U.S. Treasury Department.
In exchange, the government will receive preferred shares that pay an 8 percent dividend and warrants to purchase additinal shares.
The assistance is part of the U.S. government's effort to aid the auto industry, and is on top of the $17.4 billion in loans the Bush administration agreed to provide to the industry Dec. 19, a Treasury Department official said.
Analysts speculated that if GMAC didn't obtain financial help it would have to file for bankruptcy protection or shut down, which would be a serious blow to GM's own chances for survival.
Source: Yahoo Finance, GMAC Receives $5 Billion in Bailout Funds