"GM Shareholders To Receive Dividends Again"

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

NPR's business news begins with a GM comeback.

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MONTAGNE: General Motors announced this week that for the first time in nearly six years, it will begin to pay cash dividends to its shareholders. GM stopped paying out dividends back in June of 2008, as it struggled to save money through the recession, bankruptcy and a government bailout.

This week, the automaker - which is the largest in the U.S. - approved a quarterly dividend of 30 cents per share on its common stock. The first payment is set for the end of March.