News of Ford's bailout of Visteon, its former parts division, also seemed to help calm the corporate bond market.

The future of the parts division has been a major problem for Ford as it tries to hammer out a new labor contract.

Our hospital supply division is connected quite naturally with our electronic parts division.

The company's heavy-handed cost squeeze often forced the parts divisions to push out inferior parts.

Recently, the company has put greater emphasis on its $3 billion automotive parts division.

Another reason for releasing separate financial information is to convince investors that they have been underestimating the value of the parts division.

Those operations include the company's $800 million automotive parts division, which makes transmissions and drive-train components.

In 1999 Delphi, the parts division of General Motors, was spun off as an independent company.

It has spun off its parts division under the name Visteon.

G.M.'s standing was greatly complicated over the weekend by the bankruptcy filing of its former parts division, Delphi.