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Hong Kong Overtakes Singapore in World Financial Centers Ranking

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Pedestrians pass a backdrop of the city skyline on a street in the Central district in Hong Kong, China, on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. In a bad year for deals globally, the value of mergers and acquisitions in mainland China and Hong Kong has fallen 6% to about $185 billion, Bloomberg-compiled data show. Photographer: Paul Yeung/Bloomberg (Paul Yeung/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong reclaimed its spot as Asia’s top financial center, knocking Singapore back to second place in the region, according to a survey.

Globally, Hong Kong ranked third, behind New York and London in the latest Global Financial Centres Index released Monday. Singapore placed fourth worldwide. Dublin, Chicago and Dubai moved up in the rankings, while Shanghai, Beijing and Geneva moved down in the index. 

It’s welcome good news for Hong Kong’s finance sector, which was battered by pandemic restrictions that prompted many workers to leave the city. The property market, which  has failed to recover, has slowed activity and consumer demand. The government is betting that its initiatives and lower interest rates may revive economic activity. 

Other findings in the report:

  • 58 places fell in the rankings, while 46 improved
  • Shenzhen overtook San Francisco to rank third in the fintech ranking
  • Chicago and Los Angeles climbed past Shanghai to place sixth and seventh
  • Sydney, Nanjing, and Tianjin fell at least 10 places
  • Geopolitical challenges were the most pressing risk, mentioned by more than one-fifth of respondents

The index, compiled by researchers Z/Yen Partners and the China Development Institute, assesses 121 financial centers and uses data and survey results from thousands of financial services professionals responding to an online questionnaire.

Here are the top 20 ranked financial centers:

1. New York

2. London

3. Hong Kong 

4. Singapore 

5. San Francisco 

6. Chicago 

7. Los Angeles 

8. Shanghai 

9. Shenzhen 

10. Frankfurt 

11. Seoul 

12. Washington DC 

13. Geneva 

14. Dublin 

15. Paris 

16. Dubai 

17. Zurich 

18. Beijing 

19. Luxembourg 

20. Tokyo

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.