Global office occupancy costs fall worldwide. According to CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (CBRE) Global Research and Consulting's semi-annual Global Office Occupancy Costs survey, which tracks office occupancy costs in more than 170 cities around the globe, London's West End is no longer the most expensive city in the world. With an occupancy cost (rent, plus local taxes and service charges) of €1402 per square metre a year, as opposed to €2035 a year ago, this area has been supplanted by Tokyo's Inner Central District's annual cost of €1492 per square metre. At €1383 per square metre per annum, Moscow is the next most expensive city, followed by Hong Kong's Central Business District or CBD (€1222), and Tokyo's Outer Central District (€1215). According to CBRE, financial centres have been most significantly affected by declining occupier demand caused by the economic crisis. Singapore recorded the largest year on year decrease in occupancy costs with a drop of 34 per cent, followed by New York's Midtown with a decline of 32 per cent and Hong Kong's fall of 29.9 per cent. In Europe, 12 cities experienced occupancy cost falls in double figures, with Moscow's costs falling the most sharply. There were, however, some rises particularly in Marseilles (+30.4%) and Perth (+22.2%). (I.L./transl.rh)