Study: The richest 1% now control a record $44 trillion in wealth – Dr Boyce Watkins

The disparity between stock market growth and wage increases for workers over the last 30 years is a stark illustration of economic inequality in the United States. Here’s a comparison based on the provided data:
Stock Market Growth
S&P 500 Performance: Over the last 30 years, the S&P 500, which is a broad representation of the U.S. stock market, has seen significant growth. The average yearly return of the S&P 500 is 10.22% over the last 30 years, as of the end of February 2024, assuming dividends are reinvested

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Historical Returns: The S&P 500 Index has risen from an average closing price of around 379 in 1994 to 4,992.54 in 2024, which is an increase of over 1200%

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Recent Performance: In 2024, the S&P 500 has seen a 10.16% increase since the beginning of the year

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Wage Growth for Workers
Wage Stagnation: Despite productivity increasing by 74% from 1973 to 2013, the hourly compensation of a typical worker rose just 9% during the same period

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Real Wages: When adjusted for inflation, today’s average hourly wage has about the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago

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Recent Wage Growth: Wage growth in the United States averaged 6.19 percent from 1960 until 2024, with a high of 15.28 percent in April of 2021 and a record low of -5.89 percent in April of 2020

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