Sale of Hughes Unit a Topic for GM Meeting

General Motors Corp. may sell more cars and trucks than any other auto maker in the world, but at Tuesday’s annual meeting in Wilmington, Del., the impending sale of its Hughes Electronics subsidiary may be what shareholders want to hear about most.

GM wants to sell off Hughes to free up cash and resources as it turns its attention more fully to its core automotive business.

Despite 18 months of talks with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., a deal has yet to be struck. Littleton, Colo.-based EchoStar Communications Corp. has also announced it will court Hughes.

Both companies covet Hughes-owned DirecTV, which is the largest provider of home satellite television services with 9.5 million subscribers. DirecTV also provides high-speed Internet connections.