From: John Conover <john@email.johncon.com>
Subject: Re: Household debt at an all-time high. Head for the hills!
Date: 4 Aug 1999 03:14:41 -0000
Dan Christensen writes:
>
> Edward Flaherty wrote in message <37A6F451.F57EE5C0@cofc.edu>...
> >The Fed's Flow of Funds accounts show that for the 4th quarter
> >of 1998, household debt was at an all-time high of $3.8 trillion
> >in 1987 dollars, up 7.1% from 1997.
> >
> >Fortunately, household assets are also at an all-time high, $26.4
> >trillion, up 8.2% from 1997. Tangible assets were up 5.1% and
> >financial assets were up 9.6%.
>
> Do you know how many households are in a precarious debt position --
> however you define that? And how many would be vulnerable to a stock market
> "correction?" (Sorry, I couldn't read the document to which you referred.)
>
The numbers I have seen say that somewhat over 60% of US households
are invested in equities.
There is a distribution of wealth at:
http://cher.eda.doc.gov/BudgetFY97/index.html
albeit two years dated, so you can define "precarious debt position"
however you wish.
John
--
John Conover, john@email.johncon.com, http://www.johncon.com/