The French government may help the its troubled auto industry in exchange for raising its ownership in the car makers, industry minister Luc Chatel said.

The plan would be worth an approximate between 5 billion ($6.6 billion) and 10 billion euros, Le Parisien newspaper reported quoting unidentified sources.

Carmakers' needs are not necessarily in the form of boosting their capital but, in exchange for our financial support, taking a stake in (companies') capital can, in some cases, be a fair trade, the top official told daily Le Figaro in an interview.

Shares in Renault SA and PSA Peugeot Citroen rose on Monday trading in Paris. The French government is scheduled to meet car makers, suppliers and labor unions on Tuesday to discuss how to aid the auto industry which employs about 10 percent of the country's workforce.

Jobs