General Electric Co has become the first US company with a market capitalization valued at above $300bn. The company, whose main interests include the NBC television network, aircraft engines and appliances, was valued at $301.8bn on Tuesday, ahead of its nearest contender Microsoft Corp, which is valued at around $266bn. GE reached the $300bn mark on Tuesday when shares were trading $92.625. Last year GE generated $8.2bn in profits on $90.8bn in turnover. Since the company’s current chairman and chief executive John Welch took over in 1981 when it was worth $12bn, the company has increased in value 25 times.
