Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

FarCenter

(19,429 posts)
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 11:59 PM Jan 2018

World's 42 richest people are worth the same as poorest 50% combined

The world's 42 richest people have as much wealth as the bottom half of its population, an Oxfam report claims.

These top billionaires are sitting on a cash pile worth £1.1trillion – as much as the poorest 3.7billion people on the planet, the charity said in a report criticised by some experts for misinterpreting the facts to fit its agenda.

The gap has expanded as the richest tycoons, tech entrepreneurs and heirs and heiresses have been boosted by surging stock markets and record-low interest rates which allow their business empires to grow more quickly.

Last year, it took 61 billionaires to equal the bottom half and as recently as 2009 – when the mega-rich were suffering in the Great Recession – the figure was 380.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5295743/Worlds-42-richest-worth-poorest-50-combined.html

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»World's 42 richest people...