Let M be a von Neumann
algebra and let G be a group acting on M by ⋆-automorphisms of M. M is
G-finite if for every nonnegative element a in M with a≠0, there exists a
G-invariant normal state ϕ such that ϕ(a)≠0. The main result in this paper asserts
that M is G-finite if and only if for every weakly relatively compact subset
K of the predual of M, the orbit of K under G is also weakly relatively
compact.