OREANDA-NEWS. April 24, 2013. Forbes (US) released its annual ranking of the world's 2000 largest corporations. ICBC tops the Global 2000 list this year. This is the first time a Chinese company takes the top perch since the launch of the ranking a decade ago.

From the change in this year's list, US companies show an overall downtrend along the rank. Exxon Mobile, the No.1 company last year, moves down to No.5. JP Morgan Chase slips to the third place from No.2 last year. Also moving down a spot this year is General Electric, from last year's third place to No.4.  Chinese companies generally climb up the ranking with four in the top ten, doubling the number last year.

This year's list again reveals the diversity of global business. Companies from 63 countries/territories joined the poll. The rankings are determined by an equal weighting of scales, profits, assets and market value.

Forbes "Global 2000" is announced annually since the inaugural list in 2004. It pools together the biggest and most influential listed companies in the world. In total, the Global 2000 companies this year account for USD 38 trillion in revenues (up 6% year-on-year), USD 2.43 trillion in profits (down 7%). Their assets and market values reach USD159 trillion and USD 39 trillion respectively, with 87 million employees worldwide.