GM shares hit 74-year low

General Motors Corp. shares on Friday tumbled to their lowest level in more than 70 years, pulled down by a drop in the broader markets and continued speculation about the future of the struggling automaker.

GM shares hit a low of $1.52 in early afternoon trading, before rebounding to $1.82 later in the session. The low matched a record set on July 26, 1934, according to the Center for Research in Security Prices at the University of Chicago.

The price is adjusted for splits and other changes.

The Detroit-based automaker's shares have been battered over the past year by worries about the viability of the U.S. auto industry and plunging sales stemming from the industrywide drop in demand for new vehicles.

GM shares were worth $3.50 just a month ago and $25.54 a year ago.