GE's order backlog rose 1.3 percent to $320 billion, reflecting a 2 percent rise in services orders to $233 billion, while equipment orders fell 2.2 percent to $86 billion. During the quarter, GE returned $18 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks. The company shed its designation as a non-bank systemically important financial institution after divesting most of its GE Capital business. The change is expected to free about $18 billion in capital, which GE had pledged to return to shareholders through buybacks. (Editing by W Simon and JS Benkoe)