By Candice Choi, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK — The number of people around the globe with at least $1 million in assets grew 6% last year to 10.1 million, according to the 12th annual World Wealth Report released Tuesday by Merrill Lynch and Capgemini Group, a consulting firm.
That means an additional 600,000 people became millionaires or richer even as problems tied to the U.S. credit crisis spread in the second half of the year.
The combined wealth of the millionaires' club meanwhile grew 9.4% to $40.7 trillion. Their average wealth, which didn't include primary homes, surpassed $4 million for the first time.
The super rich — those with at least $30 million — grew 8.8% in population while their accumulated wealth grew 14.5%. This rarefied group controls about a third of the $40.7 trillion.
For such an elite club, 10.1 million may seem like a lot of members. But the figure represents just 0.15% of the world's population of 6.7 billion.
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