Apple has been ranked as the World’s Most Valuable Brand at US$ 70.6 billion with 49 technology companies appearing in the "BrandFinance Global 500" list (http://www.brandfinance.com), making it 2012’s most valuable sector.

Apple was ranked eighth last year in the Brand Finance's Top 15 Luxury Brands list; this year it takes the top spot. Also, Apple is now ranked first in Brand Finance's Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands 2012 list, up from the number eight position in 2011.

Brand Finance first issued its Global Report into the relative equity of the 250 top global brands in 2007.  In 2008, the study was extended to analyse the top 500 brands worldwide.  The Global 500 report is published annually and incorporates data from all listed companies globally. Each brand is accorded a brand rating: a benchmarking study of the strength, risk and future potential of a brand relative to its competitor set as well as a brand value: a summary measure of the financial strength of the brand.