• Financial documents show the NRA is living 'paycheck to paycheck,' and ended 2018 $10.8 million in the red
• Ivanka Trump made nearly $4 million from the President's DC hotel last year
• How to hang curtains, and all the tools you need to do it
• Walmart Supercenters have more than doubled the presence of the original Discount store model around the US. We compared the two and found that the supercenter has a surprisingly large grocery. (WMT)

APPLE HAS ONCE again retained its position as the world’s most valuable brand, according to brand management firmIn terbrand’s annual rankings of the “best global brands.”

Technology and automotive brands dominated the rankings of 100 companies, taking up a combined 28 spots in the list.

The “top riser” this year was Facebook, which improved its brand value by 54% — but it sat outside of the top 10, in 23rd.

The ranking is based on a combination of the brands’ financial performance, the role the brand plays in influencing customer choice, and the strength the brand has to command a premium price or secure profit for the company.

10. Amazon

Source: Chris Radburn/PA Wire

• Brand value: $37.9 billion (€33.9bn)
• Percentage change from last year: +29%
• Last year’s rank: 15

9. McDonald’s

Source: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

• Brand value: $39.8 billion (€35.6bn)
• Percentage change from last year: -6%
• Last year’s rank: 9

8. GE

Source: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File

• Brand value: $42.3 billion (€37.8bn)
• Percentage change from last year: -7%
• Last year’s rank: 6

7. Samsung

Source: Laura Lean/PA Wire

• Brand value: $45.3 billion (€40.52bn)
• Percentage change from last year: 0%
• Last year’s rank: 7

6. Toyota

Source: Rui Vieira/PA Archive/PA Images

• Brand value: $49 billion (€43.83bn)
• Percentage change from last year: +16%
• Last year’s rank: 8

5. IBM

Source: Associated Press

• Brand value: $65.1 billion (€58.23bn)
• Percentage change from last year: -10%
• Last year’s rank: 4

4. Microsoft

Source: AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

• Brand value: $67.7 billion (€60.55bn)
• Percentage change from last year: +11%
• Last year’s rank: 5

3. Coca-Cola

Source: JeepersMedia via Flickr/Creative Commons

• Brand value: $78.4 billion (€70.12bn)
• Percentage change from last year: -4%
• Last year’s rank: 3

2. Google

Source: PA WIRE

• Brand value: $120.3 billion (€107.6bn)
• Percentage change from last year: +12%
• Last year’s rank: 2

1. Apple

Source: Yui Mok

• Brand value: $170.3 billion (€152.32bn)
• Percentage change from last year: +43%
• Last year’s rank: 1

- Lara O’Reilly

Read: These are Ireland’s least favourite companies >