GE Capital, the financing arm of General Electric, on Monday raised $8bn of debt guaranteed by the federal government following recent concern about the health of its business.

The debt sale follows a tumultuous few weeks in which GE stock fell to its lowest level in nearly two decades. In the credit markets, the cost of default protection on GE Capital had increased to prices that dealers typically demand for distressed companies and a far cry from levels in line with its top-notch, or triple A credit ratings.