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World is home to more than 10 million millionaires

The number of people around the world with at least $1 million in assets passed 10 million for the first time last year, according to a report. And their bank accounts are growing even faster.

The combined wealth of the globe's millionaires grew to nearly $41 trillion last year, an increase of 9 percent from a year before, Merrill Lynch & Co. and consulting firm Capgemini Group said Tuesday.

That means their average wealth was more than $4 million, the highest it's ever been. Home values were not included in asset totals.

"The growth of their wealth is outpacing the growth of their population, and that's a trend that's going to continue in coming years," said Ileana Van Der Linde, a principal with Capgemini.

Inequality and wealth concentration will continue to grow. Yippee.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 04:59:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I wonder how many of those dollar millionaires are classified as millionaires due to the fall in the dollar?

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 06:00:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Jerome a Paris:
The combined wealth of the globe's millionaires grew to nearly $41 trillion last year, an increase of 9 percent from a year before, Merrill Lynch & Co. and consulting firm Capgemini Group said Tuesday.
Isn't that about 2/3 of world GDP?

A lot of that is capitalised value which has nothing to do with the productivity of the underlying assets, but still it's a huge amount of potential leverage through credit.

Here's a proposal: we can get the infamous target of 0.7% of world GDP for development aid out of these people by taxing wealth above $1M at 1% per year. Any objections to unanimous consent?

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 06:43:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]
10 million people own 2/3 of the gross planetary product?

I don't know. Maybe they're not rich enough to feel comfortable sharing. Shouldn't we have another round of tax cuts instead?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 06:52:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]
No, they don't have rights to 2/3 of the income.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 06:53:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Though their wealth increased at 9% year-on-year, which is more than the increase in the world's GDP.

Or is it? Nominal GDP is measured in dollars, which are losing value, so the world's nominal GDP can be giong up just on account on the dollar's devaluation which has been more than 9% last year.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 06:56:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]
A significant part of the 9% increase is that the number of millionaires grew...

Indeed, if the 600 000 new millionaires all only own a million, that's already 600 billion ; good for 1.5% of the wealth increase. Also, since house values are not counted, it's possible much of the rise comes from savvy investors selling real estate before the bust...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 07:33:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]
10 trillions of the 41 total wealth are constituted of the first million $ of each millionaire, so your tax would only result in 0.5% of world GDP. Let's raise it to 1.5 %.

And then, what proportion of development aid ends up in the hands of millionaires ?

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 07:37:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
How do they know? Is this the same report from last week? The one that was talking about a very narrow range of managed assets and extrapolating?
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 07:40:14 AM EST
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That was a different one...

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 08:04:12 AM EST
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So is this talking-up-private-banking season or something?
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 08:05:58 AM EST
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Entering the summer silly season when such studies have some hope of getting news magazines' front pages...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 08:48:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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