GE Capital remains on the hunt for acquisitions in the Australasian market, though any new investments will have to be in fields of finance where banks are weak.Steve Sargent, CEO of GE in Australia and New Zealand, said that last year was the busiest year he could remember for the financier's mergers and acquisitions team though the firm did not in fact buy any businesses. GE did, of course, sell Wizard Home Loans.Sargent said GE's target rate of return was now higher thanks to changed conditions in the financial market. Rather than targeting returns in the order of mid 20 per cent, returns would have to be 30 per cent to meet General Electric criteria.One burden for GE since the financial crisis entered its more violent, second phase in the third quarter of 2008 has been the loss of yet more funding options, including the near closure of the commercial paper market.GE appears satisfied with its remaining portfolio of businesses, including retail finance (where GE is the leading supplier, and the second largest credit card issuer), its network of 122 GE Money shops (which can expect a rise in demand for debt consolidation loans) and cash flow and insurance premium finance arms.