General Motors sales run counter to industry with only 0.2 pct. gain; pickup sales strong

General Motors says its October U.S. sales rose slightly as pickup truck sales jumped while some top-selling car models faltered.

The automaker's 0.2 percent increase ran counter to other automakers, with several reporting double-digit sales gains.

GM was led by the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, which both posted gains above 10 percent. The company sold nearly 50,000 Silverados alone.

Chevy Cruze compact car sales were up 51 percent, but other high-volume cars faltered. The midsize Chevy Malibu was off 29 percent, while Impala sales fell 9 percent.

Even with GM's results, the auto industry is expected to post strong numbers for October. Analysts expect a 6 percent sales gain over last year.