New record in number of millionaires in the world. - Median wealth per person reached a record level in 2013. According to the most recent issue of Crédit Suisse's “Global Wealth Record”, which analyses the period from mid 2012 to mid-2013, individual wealth (real financial assets minus debt) reached $241 trillion this year in the world, a +4.9% increase over the past 12 months. Most of this wealth is in the hands of 31 million millionaires in the world. The richest sectors of the population have become richer, with the economic crisis increasing divisions somewhat, with the middle class getting poorer. Although the richest people in the world only account for 0.7% of the households surveyed (those who have more than $1 million in assets), they now own 41% of all wealth, compared to 39.3% a year ago. This constitutes an increase of around $10 trillion. At the bottom end of the pyramid, however, is the vast majority of people owning individual wealth of between $10,000 and $100,000. This segment experienced stagnant levels of growth in wealth, which stood at $7.3 trillion. Disparities of wealth are greatest in Russia, where 35% of all wealth is held by just 110 millionaires. Most of this growth was experienced in the US ($+8.3 trillion), while the Asia-Pacific region contracted by more than $2.8 billion due to the weakness of the yen. Europe also performed well in this study, due to a strong euro compared the dollar and recovery on the stock markets. Most millionaires are in the US (13 million), Europe (10 million) and in the Asia-Pacific region (6.5 million). The number of ultra rich (those who have more than $50 million in assets) is around 98,660, almost half of whom (45,650) are in the US, with China far behind (5,831). Switzerland is in the Top 10 of countries with the highest levels of median wealth per capita at $513,000, ahead of Australia ($403,000) and Norway ($360,000). (IL/transl.fl)