TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – U.S. research company, Business Environment Risk Intelligence (BERI), ranked Taiwan as the fourth best investment detention in the world, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said in a statement on Dec. 25.

Taiwan was also ranked second in Asia behind Singapore, achieving a total score of 68 points.

BERI’s tri-annual investment risk assessment report evaluates three variables to consider profitability from the perspective of multinational companies. These three variables are operational risk, political risk, and exchange risk.

In terms of operational risk, BERI ranks Taiwan as 5th in the world, and best in Asia, while Taiwan’s exchange rate risk was ranked first.

Taiwan performed worst in the political risk category, ranking 15th in the world, and 7th in Asia. BERI said the results of the local elections on Nov. 24 has taken the luster of the perceived stability of Taiwan’s domestic policies.

Taiwan has slipped one place in the global rankings, after being named 3rd in BERI’s August report.