The MasterCard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index ranks Moscow 51st out of the 75 cities that are the world’s largest commercial centers. In the photo: construction of the Moscow City business center, seen from Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment.
Photo: Alexey Kudenko
|
 |
Moscow: A City of Money and Information
The MasterCard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index, published today, ranks Moscow 51st out of the 75 cities that are the world’s largest commercial centers. In first place, as it was a year ago, is London, which is followed by New York and then Tokyo. Singapore has risen from sixth place last year to fourth now. Previous indexes have only included 50 cities. Beirut and Caracas made their debuts on the list.
MasterCard’s calculations are unique even among international financial organizations. It compares cities on the basis of 43 indicators and 74 subindicators. A “quality of life” indicator was added this year. The authors of the study note that quality of life has a significant influence on a place’s role in the business world. Other factors taken into consideration include accessibility of airports, number of daily newspapers and number of scientists per 1 million inhabitants. Moscow received 44.99 out of 100 points this year. London received 79.17. Last year, they received 39.8 and 77.79, respectively. Moscow received lower markings in 4 categories this year: legal and political conditions, economic stability, business climate and infrastructure of business centers.
Loughborough University (UK) Professor Peter Taylor, one of the leaders of the project, said that the lower marks are insignificant and represent a lack of progress in area where competing cities saw major improvements, rather than deterioration in Moscow. Moscow received improved marks in information infrastructure and financial flows. The latter indicator rose especially notably. The only other city near Moscow with a comparable score in that category is Mumbai.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
