Global millionaires grow to 8.7M (CNN)

Big jump in South Korea, India, Russia
Wednesday, June 21, 2006; Posted: 3:57 a.m. EDT (07:57 GMT)

(CNN) -- The world's store of millionaires keeps on growing, with another half-million people joining the club in 2005, according to an annual survey.

Many of the newcomers can be found in high-growth economies such as China, India, Brazil and Russia, although the United States continues to dominate. It is home to 2.67 millionaires, or about a third of the world's richest people.
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Globally, the number of people with more than $1 million in net assets rose 6.5 percent in 2005 to 8.7 million, according to a report by Merill Lynch and Capgemini released on June 20.

Their 10th annual World Wealth Report found that these millionaires have total net assets of $33.3 trillion, excluding the value of their primary residences.

The number of super-rich people -- those with financial assets of more than $30 million, and known in the report as "ultra high net worth individuals" -- grew 10.2 percent to 85,400.
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/06/21/btn.globalrich/index.html

But has the AVERAGE increased? Or has the growth of poverty exceeded -- and even caused -- the growth of the ultra-rich? Bets, anyone?

I bet that increase blows this one to bits.