Shareowners' Equity (Roll forward schedule) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
|
3 Months Ended |
12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2014
|
Sep. 30, 2014
|
Jun. 30, 2014
|
Mar. 31, 2014
|
Dec. 31, 2013
|
Sep. 30, 2013
|
Jun. 30, 2013
|
Mar. 31, 2013
|
Dec. 31, 2014
|
Dec. 31, 2013
|
Dec. 31, 2012
|
Dec. 31, 2011
|
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued |
$ 0us-gaap_PreferredStockValue |
|
|
|
|
$ 0us-gaap_PreferredStockValue |
|
|
|
|
$ 0us-gaap_PreferredStockValue |
|
$ 0us-gaap_PreferredStockValue |
|
$ 0us-gaap_PreferredStockValue |
|
|
Common Stock, Value, Issued |
702us-gaap_CommonStockValue |
|
|
|
|
702us-gaap_CommonStockValue |
|
|
|
|
702us-gaap_CommonStockValue |
|
702us-gaap_CommonStockValue |
|
702us-gaap_CommonStockValue |
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Beginning balance |
|
|
|
|
(9,120)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
|
|
|
(20,230)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
(9,120)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
(20,230)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
(23,974)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
|
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(12,087)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax |
|
8,844us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax |
|
841us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax |
|
|
Reclassifications from other comprehensive income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,035us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIForSaleOfSecuritiesTax |
|
2,266us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIForSaleOfSecuritiesTax |
|
2,903us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIForSaleOfSecuritiesTax |
|
|
Other comprehensive income attributable to GE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(9,052)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent |
|
11,110us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent |
|
3,744us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent |
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Ending balance |
(18,172)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
|
|
|
(9,120)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
|
|
|
(18,172)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
(9,120)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
(20,230)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
|
(23,974)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax |
Other Capital [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional Paid in Capital, Beginning Balance |
|
|
|
|
32,494us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
|
|
|
33,070us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
32,494us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
33,070us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
33,693us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
|
Gains (losses) on treasury stock dispositions and other |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
395ge_GainsLossesOnTreasuryStockDispositionsAndOtherAdditionalPaidInCapitalDuringPeriod |
|
(576)ge_GainsLossesOnTreasuryStockDispositionsAndOtherAdditionalPaidInCapitalDuringPeriod |
|
(623)ge_GainsLossesOnTreasuryStockDispositionsAndOtherAdditionalPaidInCapitalDuringPeriod |
|
|
Additional Paid in Capital, Ending Balance |
32,889us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
|
|
|
32,494us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
|
|
|
32,889us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
32,494us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
33,070us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
|
33,693us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital |
Retained Earnings [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit), Beginning Balance |
|
|
|
|
149,051us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
|
|
|
144,055us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
149,051us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
144,055us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
137,786us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
|
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent |
5,152us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
|
3,537us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
3,545us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
2,999us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
3,206us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
|
3,191us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
3,133us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
3,527us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
15,233us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
|
13,057us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
|
13,641us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss |
|
|
Dividends |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(8,951)us-gaap_Dividends |
|
(8,061)us-gaap_Dividends |
|
(7,372)us-gaap_Dividends |
|
|
Other |
0us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |
|
|
|
|
0us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |
|
|
|
|
0us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |
|
0us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |
|
0us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |
|
|
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit), Ending Balance |
155,333us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
|
|
|
149,051us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
|
|
|
155,333us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
149,051us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
144,055us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
|
137,786us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |
Common Stock Held In Treasury [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treasury Stock, Value, Beginning Balance |
|
|
|
|
(42,561)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
|
|
|
(34,571)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
(42,561)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
(34,571)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
(31,769)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
|
Purchases |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,950)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod |
|
(10,466)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod |
|
(5,295)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod |
|
|
Dispositions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,918us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfTreasuryStock |
|
2,476us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfTreasuryStock |
|
2,493us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfTreasuryStock |
|
|
Treasury Stock, Value, Ending Balance |
(42,593)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
|
|
|
(42,561)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
|
|
|
(42,593)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
(42,561)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
(34,571)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
|
(31,769)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue |
Equity [Abstract] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GE shareowners' equity opening balance |
|
|
|
|
130,566us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
|
|
|
123,026us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
130,566us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
123,026us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
116,438us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
|
GE shareowners' equity Ending balance |
128,159us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
|
|
|
130,566us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
|
|
|
128,159us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
130,566us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
123,026us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
|
116,438us-gaap_StockholdersEquity |
Noncontrolling interests |
8,674us-gaap_MinorityInterest |
[1] |
|
|
|
6,217us-gaap_MinorityInterest |
[1] |
|
|
|
8,674us-gaap_MinorityInterest |
[1] |
6,217us-gaap_MinorityInterest |
[1] |
5,444us-gaap_MinorityInterest |
[1] |
1,696us-gaap_MinorityInterest |
Total equity balance at December 31 |
136,833us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
|
|
|
|
136,783us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
|
|
|
|
136,833us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
|
136,783us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
|
128,470us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
|
|
Dividends on preferred stock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ (806)us-gaap_DividendsPreferredStockStock |
|
|