PRNewswire — “The Credit Suisse Research Institute released its fourth annual Global Wealth Report 2013, which finds that from mid-2012 to mid-2013 aggregate global household wealth increased by 4.9% in current dollar terms to USD 241 trillion , despite the continuing challenges posed by the economic environment. North America gained USD 8.4 trillion, an increase of 11.9%, fueled by a recovery in house prices and a bull equity market in the United States.  It became the lead region in terms of total net wealth for the first time since 2005, overtaking European holdings, which added USD 5.5 trillion , an increase of 7.7%.  As a result of a 22% depreciation of the Japanese yen against the US dollar during the period, household wealth in Japan dropped 20.5% to USD 22.6 trillion, dragging down total wealth in Asia Pacific by 3.7% to USD 73.9 trillion . However, Asia Pacific ex- Japan continued to register stable wealth growth by 6.2% to USD 51.3 trillion in mid-2013.”

• See also the companion Global Wealth Databook 2013: “The aim of the Credit Suisse Global Wealth project is to provide the best available estimates of the wealth holdings of households around the world for the period since the year 2000. While the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report highlights the main findings of our study, this 155-page Databook underlines the extent of our analysis. More importantly, it sets out in detail the data employed in our Global Wealth project, the methodology used to calculate estimates of wealth and how this may differ from other reports in this  field.  The Credit Suisse Global Wealth Databook also details the evolution of household wealth levels through the period 2000 to mid-2013, providing data at both regional and country level on high net worth individuals, and highlighting the wealth pyramid in addition to wealth analysis for 216 countries. This rich data set has enabled our investigation of wealth holdings in the Eurozone area in Chapter 2 of the Wealth Report and provides background for the study of wealth mobility in Chapter 4 of the Wealth Report.  Finally, the Databook presents detailed data on relatively under-researched areas, such as the historical wealth series and the  composition of household portfolios (assets and debts).”