German Chancellor Merkel confirms, welcomes GM decision to sell Opel to Magna

Germany’s Merkel confirms Opel sale to Magna

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel is welcoming General Motors Co.’s decision to sell Opel to Canada’s Magna International Inc.

She told reporters Thursday that GM chief executive Fritz Henderson had informed her office of GM’s plans.

The chancellor, who pushed for the Magna deal, said the result had “showed that patience and single-mindness” by her government had paid off.

She added that “Opel faces a difficult path.”