Six General Motors Corp. executives recently sold more than 200,000 shares of the automaker as GM moves toward issuing new equity to give large stakes to the U.S. government and a United Auto Workers retiree health care trust fund.

Four group vice presidents and two vice chairmen sold nearly 205,000 shares Friday and Monday at prices ranging from $1.45 to $1.61 per share. GM shares closed Monday down 17 cents at $1.44.

Spokeswoman Julie Gibson says the sales don't show a lack of faith in the company. She says GM has disclosed publicly that shareholders run the risk of significant dilution or possibly losing their investments in a potential bankruptcy filing.

"They're not operating with any knowledge that other people don't have," she said. The executives had a short window of Friday through Tuesday to sell the shares, she added.

GM has offered bondholders 10 percent of the company's equity in exchange for wiping out $27 billion in debt. The company also is negotiating with the U.S. government for a potential 50 percent share of GM stock, and with the UAW to take 39 percent in exchange for half of the $20 billion that the company owes the trust fund.

The remaining 1 percent would go to those who hold the company's current 611 million outstanding shares.