Only a fraction, less than half, of Americans have their money invested in stocks. This includes those who have their investments in pension funds, retirement plans such as 401(k)s, IRAs, mutual funds, ETFs or even individuals owning shares in popular companies such as Apple, Ford, and Tesla.
The low ownership rate is a worrisome sign for the country’s economic future. Even as the U.S. stock market is experiencing one of the most prolonged upswings in history, the trend shows a lack of participation. The S&P 500 Index, a popular measure of the stock performance of 500 of the biggest publicly traded U.S. companies, has seen over a 200% increase since its low point in March 2009.
For a deeper dive into the trend of stock ownership among Americans, visit CNN Money.
Photo credit: Micha D., courtesy of SmartAsset.com.
