** Brokerage Barclays downgrades U.S. automaker General Motors GM.N to "equal weight" from "overweight", cuts PT to $40 from $70

** New PT implies 12.8% downside to stock's last close

** Shares of GM fall 1.4% to $44.5 premarket

** Brokerage says the downgrade was due to concerns about near-term earnings pressure from tariffs

** Brokerage believes GM is vulnerable to the auto tariffs because nearly half of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. are assembled outside the country

** GM also faces risks in meeting its EV targets, as its affordable EVs are made in Mexico and may be subject to tariffs, says Barclays

** Brokerage modestly prefers Ford F.N over GM due to Ford's higher mix of U.S.-assembled vehicles, but notes Ford will also face tariff pressures and has a weaker financial position

** Fourteen of 29 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher, 12 rate "hold", 3 rate "sell" or higher; their median PT is $54 - as per LSEG data

** As of last close, GM down 15.3% YTD

(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan)

((Padmanabhan.Ananthan@thomsonreuters.com))