MSNBC – The number of very rich people in the U.S. grew last year at the fastest pace in at least a decade as their moves into international stock markets, real estate and alternative investmentspaid off.
The number of households with $5 million or more in investable assets  excluding the family home  rose by 26 percent to a record 930,000, according to a study by Spectrem Group. That is the biggest jump since Spectrem began its survey in 1996. The number of millionaires rose by 11 percent, to a record 8.3 million – the second biggest jump in the decade since they were surveyed.
The overall affluent market – households with $500,000 or more – rose by 7 percent to a record 14 million. This group fared the worst in the wake of the stock market collapse, with their numbers falling sharply from 2000. Last year was the first time their total passed that of their peak in 1999.
Catherine McBreen, a managing director at Spectrem, said: “It’s been a great couple of years for America’s millionaires … the stock market, which posted solid improvement in 2005, was one reason for the advance. However, for the wealthiest Americans it appears the increased use of international markets and alternative investments were key drivers of their improvement.”
