General Electric falters

General Electric, the world's largest company, has slipped into single digit growth for the first time in three years.

The US conglomerate, whose interests span aerospace, finance and broadcasting, posted a slender 3% rise in third-quarter profits.

The company says profits in its power systems business helped offset a fall in demand in other divisions affected by the US slowdown.

GE says its growth rate would have been 13% higher without the effect of the attacks of 11 September on its GE Capital insurance businesses.

GE Capital faces losses estimated at £416m from the strikes.

The results were in line with Wall Street estimates and GE says it is still on course to meet full-year estimates.