STEVE INSKEEP, host: NPR's business news starts with GM's early payback.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: Not sure anybody really expected this. General Motors is set to announce it is paying back billions of dollars in government bailout money and doing it earlier than the original June deadline. The Detroit Free Press reports that GM's chief executive, Ed Whitacre will announce tomorrow the company will pay nearly $5 billion that his company owes Washington and about a billion dollars that it owes the Canadian government.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: The emergency loans helped the automaker get through the financial crisis and bankruptcy. Now, GM wants to lessen its financial dependence on the government. GM's reputation suffered when it went to the government for cash. Ford, by contrast, did not take bailout money and its brand got a boost.
General Motors reportedly is set to announce it's paying back billions of dollars in government bailout money earlier than the original June deadline. The emergency loans helped the automaker get through the financial crisis and bankruptcy. The company is expected to officially announce the repayment on Wednesday.