I would say that a majority of Americans own corporate stock in one way or another, but I seriously doubt that 90% of us do. In another thread I am discussing the issue of immigration and I recently posted data that shows 30,000,000 immigrants in this country as of 2000. This is 10% of the population and even if you count all of them as citizens, I doubt that most of them own corporate stock. Then you’ve got 10% or so that are perpetually below the poverty line; I doubt that many of these people own stock as well- it’s too easy to by lottery tickets rather than stock shares when the welfare check comes.

Of course if you work for Wal-Mart (the nation’s largest non-government employer), making the company’s average wage of $8-something an hour, you may own a share or two of Wal-Mart stock. I guess this puts you right up there with people like the Kennedys, the Clintons, George Soros and Mr. and Mrs. Brolan (or is that Mr. and Mrs. Streissand?)

100% lower than projected increases means no increase at all.

BTW: The official inflation rate doesn’t include things like food and gasoline because the price of these things are considered to be too volatile to mean anything- I guess that’s why hamburger is running above $1.60 a pound now and country-style pork ribs have gone from $1.49 to $1.79+ since last Easter.

now you are talking about a comodity... The Market and suppy and demand dictate those prices.....

considering most employers offer 401 k, profit sharig etc. and if you work for the government they have there plan aswell.. And lets not forget the ira...

And i think you are making a gross assumption that because folks are immigrants they are not savvy to the markets.... When in fact most of the millionares in this country have been born oustide it's borders...

and lets not forget the transition in the 90's when middle class became the investor class and the daytrading craze the emerged from it... For god sakes there are 12 year old trading stocks......

Eventually anything that is put on the market for sale is a commodity.

Can you document that most employers offer 401K plans?

Is the retirement plan offered to government employees in place of Social Security based on holding corporate stock?

Do IRA accounts always mean stock ownership? What about corporate bonds and real estate?

How many immigrants who work for McDonalds or clean bathrooms for a living have stock portfolios?

Now who’s making an assumption?

This doesn’t mean that 90% of the U.S. population owns stock.

And just how can a 12 year old trade in stocks when they cannot legally have a bank account that doesn’t have an adult’s name on it?

all data from the federal reserve 2004...... http://www.federalreserve.gov/



description % of families
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transaction 91%
accounts


Certificates
of
deposit 15.7%


Savings
bonds 16.7


Bonds 3.0%


Stocks 21 %


Pooled
investment
funds 17.7%


Retirement
accounts 52.2%

Cash
value
life
insurance 28%


Other
managed
assets 3.0%

Other 9.4%

Any
financial
asset 93.4%

as far as foreign born millionares...

the book The Millionare next door has done probably the most detailed work and study on who are the millionares in this country... From the car they drive, to the type of work or business they own.... oh and yes what generation of american they are... Also allote of good pointer's in how to be frugal......


http://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Ne...2176155&sr=8-1


Please i recomend reading this book to everyone who seams to want to better there life.... READ IT.... the data will astound you...

Would it be safe to assume that some of these categories overlap, i.e., people that have stocks or pooled investment funds have them because they have retirement accounts? As far as owning corporate stock goes, I would venture that the true number of Americans that own stock, by your own data, only 52.2%.

no i totally agree about the overlap.... But the study is specific in it's catogorization.... Also if you where to add up all the percentages you would get a number above 200% which is impossible..

If it sais retirement acount... that is what is it and this is the %

If it sais stock holding... this is the percentage of people who own stock outside of there Retirement and pooled acounts and etc...


But if you look at the first number which is transaction acounts... this is the % of american families that in one way or another have equity in the markets.... be it bonds stocks, mutual funds, IRA etc....

i think it is safe to say that WALL STREET IS MAIN STREET