GM to Cut Production at Detroit Plant, Lay Off Workers: WSJ

(Reuters) - General Motors Co plans to scale back production at an assembly plant in Detroit and lay off about 1,500 workers, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the plan.þþThe No. 1 U.S. carmaker plans to shut the Detroit-Hamtramck factory for about six weeks from mid-November, and cut production by roughly 20 percent once operations resume, the WSJ reported.þþThe move will cost about 200 workers their jobs, the WSJ reported. (http://on.wsj.com/2yiJWSh)þþGeneral Motors declined to comment.þþBoth GM and rival Ford Motor Co have struggled for most of this year to rein in high inventories of passenger cars as consumers have shifted to buying pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.þþProduction cuts slice into revenue, but could also helps automakers avoid deeper price cuts on vehicles they can sell.þþGeneral Motors shares were down 1.7 percent at $44.70 in premarket trading.þþ(Reporting by Rachit Vats in Bengaluru and Nick Carey in Detroit; Editing by Savio D'Souza)