Italy's Fiat (FIA.MI) lifted its stake in Chrysler to 25 percent on Monday as Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne prepares for an upcoming round of meetings with bankers to refinance Chrysler's debt and to ready an initial public offering of shares. Fiat said in a statement that it had raised its ownership in Chrysler to 25 percent from 20 percent at no financial cost under the terms of a deal that had been negotiated with the U.S. Treasury as part of Chrysler's bailout. The announcement, which came as Chrysler showed off new and revamped vehicles at the Detroit auto show, increases the likelihood that Fiat will own a majority of Chrysler by the end of the year.
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