As investors await the fate of a government bailout for U.S. automakers, an analyst called it likely that up to $15 billion in aid will be granted to the battered industry.

Deutsche Bank autos analyst Rod Lache said General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC will likely receive the federal money by year's end. The companies are lobbying the Bush White House for a piece of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout passed in October, and the administration has said it is evaluating options.

Lache said any lifeline for the auto industry will likely come with the concessions sought earlier by Senate Republicans.

The GOP blocked a Congressional bailout for the automakers last week, saying it demanded insufficient concessions from autoworkers.

Lache added that even if the White House manages to help the automakers, they will likely need additional money in early 2009, the source of which remains an open question.

GM and Chrysler have said they will run out of money within weeks. Ford, which supports an industry bailout, has said it has access to enough cash to survive.

Options under consideration by the Bush administration include using part of the $700 billion fund to provide loans to the carmakers or using money from the fund as collateral for emergency loans to the automakers by the Federal Reserve.

GM shares slid 15 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $4.10 in premarket trading Wednesday morning, while Ford shares dropped 3 cents to $3.10.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.