Are you one of them?

Sep 25, 2012 | Comments 0

Roughly 3.37 million people in the Asia Pacific region now have more than US$1 million to invest, according to a new study jointly published by Capgemini, a consulting firm, and RBC Weatlth Management.

For the first time that is more than North America's 3.36 million high net worth individuals (HNWI) and Europe's 3.17 million.

According to the survey, investable assets were defined as excluding primary residence and luxury possessions including art.

The survey explained Asia's top spot with the growing number of weathly in China and Japan.

That is all well and good for the people who have moved into the HNWI exclusive members' club (Asia Pacific's population of HNWI grew at a rate of 1.6 percent in 2011), however for the ones at the bottom of the food chain it is an entirely different story.

The April publication of the Asian Development Bank's Asian Development Outlook 2012: Confronting Rising Inequality in Asia highlights the need for spreading the benefits of growth more widely. "In spite of developing Asia's great success in raising living standards and reducing poverty, swelling income disparities threaten to undermine the pace of progress," said the theme chapter of the report. "Regional policy makers need to ensure that the benefits of growth are widely shared."

I could not have put it better myself.

Filed Under: Blog

Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/09/25/are-you-one-of-them/