AUTOS

More Than Half of GM Plants Resume Operations: The world’s largest auto maker said 14 of its North American assembly plants that closed during an 18-day strike were reopened. The walkout by 3,000 United Auto Workers members at two GM Delphi Chassis brake plants in Dayton, Ohio, ended Friday when the union ratified a settlement and members returned to work. The strike had closed most of GM’s 29 North American car and truck plants and idled 178,000 GM workers. All GM assembly plants will be operating by Thursday, spokesman Gerry Holmes said. Meanwhile, Superior Industries International Inc. said its first-quarter profit will dip about 25% below analyst expectations because of a slowdown in sales due to the recent General Motors Corp. strike. The walkout forced the Van Nuys-based auto wheel maker to slow production at its two largest plants in Pittsburg, Kan., and Johnson City, Tenn.