DaimlerChrysler Could Be Near Healthcare Deal

DaimlerChrysler’s incoming chief executive, Dieter Zetsche, said he had “strong indications” that the company would reach a healthcare agreement with its unions similar to a deal that Big Three rival General Motors Corp. had negotiated.

The German-U.S. automaker’s Chrysler Group has established “first contacts” with the United Auto Workers, which represents 53,235 of the company’s employees, Zetsche said.

He said Chrysler, the No. 3 U.S. automaker, needed a “level playing field” with GM and other automakers as it starts talks on healthcare costs.

DaimlerChrysler shares rose 66 cents to $51.20.