GM says still expects second-half U.S. recovery

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) still expects the U.S. economy to recover in the second half of 2008, pulling industry-wide auto sales higher, an executive said on Tuesday.

GM sales analyst Mike DiGiovanni, speaking to reporters and analysts on a conference call, said he saw "early signs" that the U.S. market was steadying.

He said the automaker would watch developments over the next two months carefully and could revisit its forecast, which remains more optimistic than the outlook of most industry analysts.

Separately, GM North American sales chief Mark LaNeve said GM's inventory of full-size pickup trucks was "more than adequate" despite a five-week-old strike at supplier American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc (AXL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) that has idled 30 GM plants.

(Reporting by Kevin Krolicki, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)