Auto Loans Could Come By Friday

WASHINGTON — Treasury Department officials are weighing the condition of the nation’s banks before they loan money to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, possibly by Friday.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said automakers would soon get emergency loans but the department is still asking detailed questions of automakers before it allocates any money from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. GM and Chrysler are seeking up to $15 billion in emergency aid to keep them afloat through the beginning of next year.

President Bush has signaled he’ll provide money to the automakers and a decision is going to come soon.