BOSTON (Reuters) - General Electric Co marked its return to the takeover track with its first major deals since the start of the financial crisis, for a maker of engines used in oil and gas production and a credit card portfolio.

The largest US conglomerate reached a $3 billion deal for Dresser Inc, which makes gas engines used in oil production and mining, and bought a $1.6 billion portfolio of retail credit cards from Citigroup Inc, in moves intended to boost its energy and GE Capital businesses.

But the world's largest maker of jet engines and electricity-producing turbines said another target, British oilfield services Wellstream Holdings had spurned a $1.2 billion (£755 million) takeover approach. It was the latest sign that corporate America, which is sitting on huge cash reserves, is growing more willing to spend money on takeover deals, even as it remains reluctant to hire more workers. The private sector unexpectedly cut jobs in September, ADP's national employment report showed, suggesting there is no quick end in sight to the problem of stubbornly high unemployment, which is slowing the economy's recovery from its worst downturn since the Great Depression.

"GE is playing offence, not just in energy but in financial services and in our other businesses," said John Krenicki, a GE vice-chairman who serves as chief executive of the company's Energy Infrastructure division.

The company, which has said it could spend up to $30 billion on takeovers over the next few years, sees opportunity for more acquisitions in sectors including energy, healthcare and financial services, Krenicki said in an interview.

The deal-making marks a change in stance at GE, which has been hard hit by the credit crisis and recession and spent much of the past few years looking for ways to pare back its hefty finance arm.