Wealth Distribution & Market Performance

This chart juxtaposes asset holdings by different wealth percentiles, adjusted for inflation and population, with the performance of the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Full Cap Index.

1. Assets Held by Top 1%: This provides a view of the wealth concentration at the very top of the wealth distribution.

2. Assets Held by 90th to 99th Percentiles: This reflects the asset holdings of the "upper-middle" class, an important indicator of wealth distribution.

3. Assets Held by 50th to 90th Percentiles: This represents the wealth of the "middle and upper-middle" class, serving as a crucial barometer of financial well-being for a significant portion of the population.

4. Assets Held by Bottom 50%: This tracks the wealth of those in the lower half of the wealth distribution, giving insights into the financial condition of this group.

The Wilshire 5000 Total Market Full Cap Index reflects the overall performance of the U.S. stock market and serves as a pulse of investor sentiment.

By aligning these wealth divisions with the broader stock market performance, we get a nuanced view of how economic prosperity might be distributed across different wealth segments.