CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - October 7, 2009) - Spectrem Group (
www.spectrem.com) announced
today that its Spectrem Millionaire Investor Confidence Index (SMICI (SM))
rose 5 points in September to -5, posting its third consecutive monthly
gain.
The advance, which follows a 6-point improvement in August, keeps the index
in neutral territory for a second-straight month. Meanwhile, the Spectrem
Affluent Investor Confidence Index (SAICI (SM)) rose 5 points in September
to -13. Despite this third-straight advance, the affluent index remains
mildly bearish.
(Note: The two index names have been changed beginning with September to
add the word "confidence.")
"Millionaires and the broader affluent population saw their investment
confidence rise in September for the third straight month. These advances
suggest a slow but steady improvement in the confidence of America's
wealthiest investors, even though the affluent still remain at mildly
bearish levels," said George H. Walper, Jr., President of Spectrem Group.
In response to an open-ended question about the most serious threat to
achieving their financial goals, affluent investors in September cited: the
economy (24%); the political climate (16%); unemployment (12%); market
conditions (10%); inflation (5%); and health-related issues (4%). Those
choosing the economy rose from 22% in June 2009, the last time this
question was asked, while those citing the political climate fell from 22%.
Millionaires were slightly less worried about the economy (22%) than the
affluent, but expressed equal concern about the political climate (16%).
Historical Performance
April May June July August September
Spectrem Affluent
Investor Confidence -21 -12 -20 -19 -18 -13
Index(SM)
Spectrem Millionaire
Investor Confidence -19 -2 -20 -16 -10 -5
Index(SM)
Methodology
The Spectrem Affluent Investor Confidence Index (SAICI (SM)) is based on
250 monthly interviews with the financial decision-makers in households
with $500,000 or more in investable assets. The data have a margin of error
of plus or minus 6.2 percentage points. The Spectrem Millionaire Investor
Confidence Index (SMICI (SM)) is based on a subset of the overall survey
group.
Contact Information: Contact:
Sharon Bially
(774) 270-1293
sharon@farrellkramer.com