Rule 424(b)(3)
                                    Registration Statement No. 333-27465
                                    Cusip # 12560Q BH1
PRICING SUPPLEMENT NO. 18,

Dated January 29,1998, to
Prospectus, dated June 6, 1997 and
Prospectus Supplement, dated June 12, 1997.

                               THE CIT GROUP, INC.
                     (formerly The CIT Group Holdings, Inc.)
                          MEDIUM-TERM FIXED RATE NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE


(X) Senior Note               ( ) Senior Subordinated Note

Principal Amount:  U.S. $75,000,000.

Proceeds to Corporation:  99.828% or $74,871,000.

Underwriting Discount:  0.172%

Issue Price:  100.0% or $75,000,000.

Original Issue Date:  February 3,1998.

Maturity Date:  February 5, 2001.

Interest Rate Per Annum:  5.850%.

Interest Payment Dates: Each August 5 and February 5, commencing August 5, 1998,
      provided  that if any such day is not a Business  Day, the payment will be
      made on the next  succeeding  Business  Day as if it were made on the date
      such  payment was due, and no interest  will accrue on the amount  payable
      for the period from and after such  Interest  Payment Date or the Maturity
      Date, as the case may be.

      Interest  payments  will  include the amount of interest  accrued from and
      including the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been
      paid (or from and including the Original  Issue Date) to but excluding the
      applicable Interest Payment Date.

The Notes are  offered by the  Underwriters,  as  specified  herein,  subject to
receipt and acceptance by them and subject to their right to reject any order in
whole or in part.  It is expected  that the Notes will be ready for  delivery in
book-entry form on or about February 3,1998.

                              SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
                               MERRILL LYNCH & CO.





Form:  Global Note.

Specified Currency:  U.S. Dollars.

Trustee, Registrar, Authenticating and Paying Agent:
      The Bank of New York, under the Indenture dated as of May 1, 1994 between
      the Trustee and The CIT Group, Inc.(formerly The CIT Group Holdings, Inc.)
      (the "Corporation").

                                  UNDERWRITING


      Salomon Brothers Inc, Goldman, Sachs & Co., and Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
      Fenner & Smith Incorporated (the "Underwriters") are acting as
      principals in this transaction.

      Subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  set  forth  in a Term  Sheet  and
      Agreement  dated  January  29,1998  (the "Terms  Agreement"),  between the
      Corporation  and the  Underwriters,  incorporating  the terms of a Selling
      Agency  Agreement  dated May 15, 1996,  between the Corporation and Lehman
      Brothers,  Lehman  Brothers Inc.,  Credit Suisse First Boston  Corporation
      (formerly  known as CS First Boston  Corporation),  Goldman,  Sachs & Co.,
      Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith Incorporated,
      Morgan  Stanley  &  Co.  Incorporated,   Salomon  Brothers  Inc,  and  UBS
      Securities LLC, the  Corporation  has agreed to sell to the  Underwriters,
      and the Underwriters have each severally agreed to purchase, the principal
      amount of the Notes set forth opposite its name below:

                                                      Principal Amount of
                                                      -------------------
            Underwriter                                     the Notes
            -----------                                     ---------

      Salomon Brothers Inc                                  $45,000,000
      Goldman, Sachs & Co.                                  $25,000,000
      Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                 Incorporated                               $ 5,000,000
                                                            -----------
                                    Total                   $75,000,000
                                                            ===========


      Under the terms and conditions of the Terms  Agreement,  the  Underwriters
      are committed to take and pay for all of the Notes, if any are taken.

      The  Underwriters  have  advised  the  Corporation  that they  propose  to
      initially  offer  the Notes to the  public  at the  Issue  Price set forth
      above.  After the initial public  offering,  the public offering price and
      other terms may be changed from time to time. In connection  with the sale
      of the Notes, the Underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation
      from  the  Corporation  in the  form of  underwriting  discounts,  and the
      Underwriters may also receive commissions from the purchasers of the Notes
      for whom they may act as agent.  The  Underwriters  and any  dealers  that
      participate  with the Underwriters in the distribution of the Notes may be
      deemed to be  underwriters,  and any discounts or commissions  received by
      them and any profit on the resale of the Notes by them may be deemed to be
      underwriting discounts or commissions.

      The  Notes  are a new  issue of  securities  with no  established  trading
      market.  The  Corporation  currently has no intention to list the Notes on
      any  securities  exchange.   The  Corporation  has  been  

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     advised by the Underwriters  that they intend to make a market in the Notes
     but are not obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any
     time without  notice.  No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the
     trading market for the Notes.

      The Corporation has agreed to indemnify the  Underwriters  against certain
      liabilities,  including  liabilities  under the Securities Act of 1933, as
      amended.







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