Rich Get Richer as Global Boom Swells Ranks of the Ultra-Wealthy

(Bloomberg) -- Stronger global growth and booming stock markets have been great for the super rich.

The number of people with more than $50 million of net assets rose 10 percent last year, the fastest pace in at least five years, according to a report published Wednesday by broker Knight Frank LLP. The increase, to a total of almost 130,000, came as each of the world's major economies began to grow at the same time.

Asia leapfrogged Europe as the region with the second highest number of ultra wealthy, while North America retained top spot, according to the data compiled by Wealth-X. New York was ranked top in the broker's city wealth index, followed by London, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Rising stock markets, a long overdue recovery in Europe and the relative weakness of the dollar, which flattered fortunes held outside the U.S., all helped boost the figures, according to Knight Frank global head of research Liam Bailey.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jack Sidders in London at jsidders@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Neil Callanan at ncallanan@bloomberg.net, Jon Menon, Andrew Blackman

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