国际英语新闻：Total value of world's top brands declines

PARIS, Spet. 24 (Xinhua) -- The total value of the world's top 100 brands has declined for the first time in a decade, according to the 2009 rankings released by a major consultancy firm.

    Affected by the global financial crisis, the total value of the best 100 brands fell 4 percent compared with last year, the first backward move in the last 10 years, the consulting firm Interbrand reported.

    Brands of financial service companiess were hurt the worst with none among the Top 20 brands. The brand value of 10 famous financial firms dropped 40 percent in 2009. Citigroup and United Bank of Switzerland bore the worst loss of nearly 50 percent each.

    Automotive brands declined 9 percent and brands in the transportation field fell 25 percent in value, Interbrand said.

    The best 10 brands in the report remained almost the same as last year, with Coca Cola holding the top position for the ninth successive year, followed by IBM, Microsoft, General Electric and Finland's Nokia.

    Though also struck by the downturn, the big names in restaurants, Internet services, and food and beverage saw their brand values increase.

    McDonald's ranked sixth, up from eighth last year, and the Internet search engine Google went from 10th last year to seventh.

    American brands remain extremely propular with eight in the Top Ten and 29 in the Top 50.

    Germany had 11 brands in the rankings, including automotive giants Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. France won 10 ranks in the group, including luxury brands Louis Vuiton, Hermes and Chanel.

    There were seven Japanese brands in the group, with Toyota, the highest Asian company at Number Eight.